Tarahumara victim of mental health system

Dwight A. Corrin (dcorrin@ibm.net)
Wed, 04 Sep 1996 22:01:56 -0500

Rita Quintero, a Tarahumara who was found in Kansas, was adjudged
dangerous to herself or others and put in a mental hospital in 1983. She
remained there until 1995, although she was never even seen by anyone who
spoke Raramari until about 1993. Her mental health was always judged as
if she were a member of a European culture (spanish based culture rather
than English based). The possibility Tarahumara culture included
different values, which would seem unusual to Anglo culture, was not
considered. I am one of the attorneys who have filed suit for Rita
against many of the health professionals who we believe violated Rita's
rights by keeping her institutionalized all those years. We have been
able to get Rita out of the hospital and back to the State of Chihuahua,
where she is hopefully becoming reintegrated into her own world.

We are interested in finding mental health professionals, social workers
and other professionals who could help us establish the standard of care
in dealing with Native Americans who have not been swallowed by
Euro-American culture. Best would be people who are able to speak
Raramari.

More details are available on the net. A copy of the AMENDED COMPLAINT
we have filed in this case is available at:

http://www.fdl.cc.mn.us/natnet/issues/rita-quintero.html

Five articles which have appeared in the Kansas City Star are now also
available.

They do not appear here in chronological order, but in the order the Star
numbered them.

Group sues over Indian woman's treatment at hospital:

http://www.kcstar.com/reprints/rq1.html

Aged Indian woman to return home soon:

http://www.kcstar.com/reprints/rq2.html

Breaking free from a tangle of bureaucracy Rita Quintero returns to
Mexico after being in hospital for 12 years:

http://www.kcstar.com/reprints/rq3.html

Group brings hope to 'mystery' woman Rita Quintero's plight prompts
journey to hospital:

http://www.kcstar.com/reprints/rq4.html

Mysterious case begins to unravel Mexican woman has been in a Kansas
mental hospital for 12 years:

http://www.kcstar.com/reprints/rq5.html

This is going to be a long struggle to try to help Rita and other persons
who become trapped in the mental health system. We will need all the
help we can get. I know that funds appeals are not appropriate here, but
we also are going to need some people who have experience in fund raising
who can help us get something started to help Rita financially as well as
to defray the legal costs involved in pursuing her suit.

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Dwight A Corrin :: P O Box 47828 :: Wichita KS 67201-7828
dcorrin@ibm.net :: 316/ 263-9706 :: fax 316/ 263-6385