No Middle Name

Winner IP Picks Creative Non-Fiction 2004. No Middle Name is a mother s story of her mentally ill son, Riley Brasch, and a case study of how society and the agencies that were supposed to be helping him ultimately failed. Riley suicided at the age of twenty-six, after a lifetime of struggling to fit into society and being let down by a system unable to deal with him. The reader follows Riley through the trials he faces to overcome his mental illness and to fit into society, yet also learns about who Riley was and the way he viewed life through his humor, his kindness, his innocence and his courage. Contains references and contacts to relevant Federal and State support agencies, as well as concrete suggestions throughout as to how the system needs to be changed to better assist families in similar circumstances. Endorsed by SANE Australia and other organisations concerned with the welfare of vulnerable youth. This book will appeal to people concerned about youth suicide and the treatment of the mentally ill by agencies charged with their support. Essential for all libraries.