This episode, particularly its significant portrayal of a "wellness check" call, once again masterfully allows us to see and feel the perspectives and experience of a person in crisis, here needing and not wanting, in fact fearing greatly, frontline emergency services intervention. It's something that could happen to any of us ... who cannot fail to relate to how vulnerable each of us really might one day ourselves be, to something similar, or has already 'been there'?
It's encouraging to see the already knowledgeable, highly talented, well-intended Black and White first responders acknowledge the challenge and struggle with what constitutes an appropriate response to someone in mental health crisis. Their considering the many factors in play for both women in the story, and especially understanding the impacts of anti-Black racism intimately as they do, makes for what plays out in their discussions and actions being a natural consequence in the beginning of such a pilot program.
The mental health call portrayal here is both heartbreaking and ultimately beautiful, and this time it is a positive outcome thankfully. It's well crafted to show us how with courage and perseverance, systemic problems can begin to be shifted, just one small step at a time. And how grateful as recipients of dignified and respectful treatment and measures, we humans can be, especially as we can be grateful that it turned out so much better than we feared (and knew was still more likely to *not* happen this way in real life - still the norm).
Here we have 'testing the waters', learning through trial and error where training hasn't covered it because the manual is not yet written, so-to-speak. I am sure the show's writers are going to continue to bring norms related to disrespect and poor treatment against persons living in poverty, with addiction, having non-normative sexuality and gender expression, and many more human rights bases into focus (as it already has since inception, of course). I welcome this drama-real-world crossover and how the show is granted continued life through various topics and scenarios. Kudos!
It's encouraging to see the already knowledgeable, highly talented, well-intended Black and White first responders acknowledge the challenge and struggle with what constitutes an appropriate response to someone in mental health crisis. Their considering the many factors in play for both women in the story, and especially understanding the impacts of anti-Black racism intimately as they do, makes for what plays out in their discussions and actions being a natural consequence in the beginning of such a pilot program.
The mental health call portrayal here is both heartbreaking and ultimately beautiful, and this time it is a positive outcome thankfully. It's well crafted to show us how with courage and perseverance, systemic problems can begin to be shifted, just one small step at a time. And how grateful as recipients of dignified and respectful treatment and measures, we humans can be, especially as we can be grateful that it turned out so much better than we feared (and knew was still more likely to *not* happen this way in real life - still the norm).
Here we have 'testing the waters', learning through trial and error where training hasn't covered it because the manual is not yet written, so-to-speak. I am sure the show's writers are going to continue to bring norms related to disrespect and poor treatment against persons living in poverty, with addiction, having non-normative sexuality and gender expression, and many more human rights bases into focus (as it already has since inception, of course). I welcome this drama-real-world crossover and how the show is granted continued life through various topics and scenarios. Kudos!
