Bouctouche woman wants mental-health system to protect son and community

Jeannelle LeBlanc of Bouctouchefeels she is doing everything she can to keep her mentally ill son in the community and on his medicationbut says strict privacy laws and lack of support from health-care professionals make her feelthe deck is stacked against her.

LeBlanc says her 32-year-old son, Sebastien LeBlanc,was diagnosed as a teenager with paranoid schizophrenia.

"When your son tells you at 17, 'You don't understand, I need to smoke a joint, because I hear less voices,' and you go, 'Uh-oh, what do I do next?"

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LeBlanc is in her 60s and wears a back brace, but she does not come across as a pushover. Over the years, she has learned how tomanoeuvre around the mental health-care system.

But this fall, during what she describes as her son's "worst episode in 12 years," LeBlanc says she has felt at a loss,unable to get Sebastiensufficienthelp and unable to make health-care professionals listen to her insights into his problems.

Stopped medication

As far as she can tell, her son stopped taking his medication six weeks ago.

His health became so bad LeBlanc went before a judge on Oct. 12 to testify that she was afraid for her son's safety. The judge ordered that Sebastien LeBlanc be picked up by police and taken to the hospital. It was the fourth time Jeannelle had to do this since her son's diagnosis as a teenager.

"My son was as ill as anybody can be ill," she said. "He was completely, completely the worst you can see somebody's mind disconnected from reality completely."

But only 12 days later, hewas released from hospital andhome again.

Too sick to stay home

'"I didn't want him home" LeBlanc said. "He was not fit to be home, he was not fit to be in society."

Thenin the early hours of Oct. 29, the RCMPsay, they got a call about someone uttering death threats outside a homeinBouctouche. Const. Hans Ouelette said the man resisted arrest, was a pepper-sprayed, handcuffed, andtaken to the police station.

Ouelette says the investigation is continuing and he can't comment on whether any charges have been laid.

LeBlanc said the man was her son, Sebastien. A neighbour took a video of the arrest.

"People's lives were in danger."

Apologized to neighbours

LeBlanc said that after the arrest she went to the house where her son had allegedly made the threats.

"I went and I apologized, as the mother of a sick kid and told them there's no words I can say. 'I can tell you he was off his medication, he should not have been here, he shouldn't have acted that way but there was nothing I could do.'"

In his right frame of mind, Leblanc said, Sebastien would never hurt anyone.

"I am just sorry" she said. "I'll do my best to keep him in the hospital and get him back on medication."

But LeBlanc doesn't know what else to do. She feels that her son's doctors don't listen to her ortake into account her knowledge ofher son's behaviour or her familiarity with how he acts when he's nearing a crisis.

"It's because they are adults," she said. "Their privacy is their privacy."

Sees role for families

Chris Summerville, CEO of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada, believes involvement by family members can benefit the patient.

"To make a complete and more accurate diagnosis ... is to take the information from the parents because parents are closest to the situation and they can describe features and details of the mental illness that oftentimes the patient will hide from the doctor."

A mental health forum held in Moncton in October 2015 produced a report with 25 recommendations. The report encouraged greater participation by parents and families of people suffering from mental illness.

Fate of report uncertain

The Department of Health could not be reached for comment on when or if the recommendations will be implemented.

Kristen Barnes, operations manager with the Canadian Mental Health Association of New Brunswick, said in the last three years her organization has doubled the amount of people it sees with mental health issues.

"It's important to keep reaching out for help," Barnes said. "There's an increased demand on mental health services across the province."

LeBlanc said she will continue to seek help for her son.

"I've been fighting for the last 15 years."

She doesn't plan to stop now.