Show I Letters to the This paper solicits its readers readers readers read read- ers to write their opinions on subjects of vital interest to the community and submit hem to the Letter to the Editor column Letters should not contain statements which are of a libel nature and should not exceed words if pos pos- sible The opinions expressed in the letters are not necessarily necessarily those of this paper The Sanpete County Guidance Guidance Guid Guid- ance Clinic began in n March 1961 The clinic was organized in cooperation with and under the advisement of the Utah State Department of Health county medical director the county commissioners school superintendents and public health nurses A county Mental Mental Mental Men Men- tal Health Advisory Board was later organized to facilitate maximum and wise use of the clinic staff Briefly the clinic staff consists consists con con- of three highly qualified individuals In charge of the clinic is a practicing psychiatrist psychiatrist psychia psychia- trist a medical doctor who has specialized in psychiatry Working with him are a psychiatric psychiatric social worker now on the staff at the University of Utah and a clinical psychologist psychologist who has his Ph D D. in psychology Not only are these men highly qualified they too are lare dedicated and sincerely interested interested in in- in the people of this area They have worked with uncommon energy during the past five years and many people people peo peo- pIe are grateful for their servo ices They are men of quality and integrity Referrals to the counseling clinic may be made by schools physicians law enforcement officials welfare or other agencies or individuals The policies governing the est establishment establishment b- b of this clinic are essentially essentially es es- es the same as those governing Orthopedic Cardiac and Child Health Conferences 1 l All referrals are cleared through the family physician 2 All referral forms must be signed by the family cian 3 NO child has been seen at clinic without parental consent nor has one been seen without adequate explanation to the parents May we now enumerate a afew afew afew few points which pertain to counseling in the schools 1 There has been group counseling counseling counseling counsel counsel- ing in the schools This has been done in cooperation with the regularly employed school counselors and principals under under under un un- un- un der the supervision of one of or orthe the clinic staff These sessions have been safely supervised 2 Teachers have been counseled counseled counseled coun coun- individually and collectively collectively in the interest of a student 3 Students have attended attended attended at at- tended these sessions of their own volition The counseling program as asa asa a whole a-whole is a fine service with the promise of becoming bet bet- ter Any activity which would destroy services of this kind may be a threat far reaching in its implication R. R HANSEN Public Health Nurse South Sanpete W. W ELIASON Public Health Nurse North Sanpete Mr Al Biorge recently reported reported re ported an mental anti-mental health clinic meeting he among others others others oth oth- ers arranged in Manti In his report he made it appear that the mental anti-mental health faction won a il smashing victory Such was certainly NOT the case The guest speaker Mr J. J McKinnon Smith advertised as a 3 former bishop and member member mem memo ber of the High Council of the Hillside Stake When Mrs Donald Hal Hafen en asked him if H he came as an official representative of the church he denied that his church affiliation had even been mentioned She did not question Mr Smiths Smith's affiliation affiliation tion with the Church as was reported She challenged challenged challenged chal chal- his right to use it as asa asa asa a tool to further his own interests interests interests in in- in non-church non matters The three men who staff the Mental Health Clinic here Dr Smith Dr Nielson and Prof Thackery are all aU active humble humble hum hum- ble Christian men Their fine work speaks for itself Anyone interested may inquire inquire inquire in in- quire through the public health nurses what has been accomplished The goal of the clinic is to help children to adjust at home at school and andin andin andin in their communities Many children have been guided toward toward toward to to- ward this goal through the clinic The truth and justification for the good cause of mental health stand unchallenged Misrepresentations do not alter alter al al- al ter the fact that the Mental Health Clinic has done a tremendous tremendous tremendous tre tre- amount of good Creating Creating Creating Cre Cre- fear hatred and suspicion suspicion cion of good causes onuses has long been the technique of extremist 1st groups It is well to suspect suspect suspect sus sus- reports that excite rather than inform The discussion group which Mrs Mary Peacock understandably understandably under under- condemned in the meeting was not even conducted conducted con con- ducted by anyone connected in any way with the Sanpete Mental Health Clinic She made it very clear dear that an outside outside out out- side unrelated agency arranged arranged ar ar- ar ranged and managed that meeting Mr Biorge did not Dot bother to mention this in his report leaving the impression that this badly organized fiasco fias fias- fiasco co was an activity of the clinic MARJORIE L L. HAFEN |