Kirk's Story - Kirk Hamilton Allen Foundation

Kirk passed away on Saturday evening, 1/26/13 @ midnight at 18 years, 6 months and 19 days old.

On December 11, 2012, Kirk consumed marijuana or cannabis “suspected” to obtain a synthetic man made drug called “Spice” or related synthetic drug. As it turns out from our multiple blood test results, he ONLY consumed marijuana and no other drugs although the Tri City medical community “DMHP’s” informed us otherwise. Kirk had no idea what just happened to him and was asking for medical help along with being the request to be hospitalized from this day forward. Sadly, he knew something was wrong and was never the same after that day. Kirk experienced a “psychotic break” due to his marijuana consumption and chemical reaction to his A.D.D. diagnosis.

For the next 45 days we tried to help Kirk with his hallucinations as well as paranoia and at the same time tried to understand what was going on. It was all so overwhelming and truly a Parent’s Nightmare. On December 14th 2012 and At Kirk’s request (18 years of age now so making his own decisions) he decided to leave his home in Sammamish to reside in the Tri-Cities under the care of his father 24/7 for purpose of healing.

We learned and were incorrectly informed from the State of WA Health Care professionals of Tri-City Crisis Unit, DMHP’s, that according to Kirk’s symptoms, he consumed “Spice”. We were shocked by this information and in disbelief as Kirk was an aspiring healthy young adult. Further, we were told that the recovery period for someone who had a bad experience with “Spice” as Kirk did is 2 weeks to 6 months or he maybe never come out of it. In addition, we were informed that Kirk’s symptoms presumably showed drug addict use of methamphetamines. Again, we were in disbelief as not only are we a close family, but we know Kirk and that he would never do such a thing. As time went on, we later learned, the blood results showed otherwise and all test results were “all negative” for drugs as we suspected. So we his family, were lied to and trusted the medical community, the DMHP’s. A bad nightmare for everyone around. Factually, all test results indicated, Kirk did not consume “Spice”, nor any other drug and not methamphetamines as we were told my the Tri City medical community, DMHP’s. The truth of the matter is that our beloved son, Kirk “only” consumed cannabis (marijuana) which in turn triggered a psychotic break complicated by his A.D.D. condition.

At the 3 week timeframe January 2013 and from this point forward, we determined Kirk needed intervention by health care professionals, rest, a medical prescription to address the psychosis, healthy eating and an environment to heal. To Kirk’s demise he was placed by several DMHP’s in a 3 day DeTox Facility, then released on 1/25/13 by the Tri-Cities medical professionals still exhibiting “severe mentally impaired” and “gravely ill” symptoms. All the while Kirk did not receive a proper diagnosis from the DMHP’s and no treatment for his psychosis condition following our repeated requests. To compound the problems, the Director of the Crisis Clinic; Gordon Cable, said he agreed, Kirk was in fact “symptomatic.” At that point, Kirk was still mentally impaired and turned out to the street by DMHP’s without any psychotic treatment at any time. In short, this “look the other way” approach by the State of WA DMHP’s was an act of gross medical negligence, failure of basic standard medical care services in the medical industry and exhibited unprofessional medical care practices. In turn, we hired, a 30+ year expert witness, Dr. Hamm, a renowned Psycharist, whom stated in a 5 page evaluation; “Kirk’s lack of diagnosis by DMHP’s and treatment lack there of, resulted in Kirk’s death of which it was 100% preventable”.

What you should know: Those we entrusted with Kirk’s life according to the medical records, DMHP’s “the gate keepers” of our State’s medical system, turned out to be negligent, unconcerned and grossly mis-diagnosed Kirk. Kirk no doubt had A.D.D. (like many Teens in our communities) and often experienced anxiety along with work stress. In Kirk’s circumstance, he incurred a high level of work stress due to the Christmas Holiday Season. Kirk’s then consumption of marijuana or cannabis were enhanced causing the psychotic break. All the while in these 45 days to follow, Kirk’s anxiety and symptoms increased because no one listened or believed him when he continually denied that any drug consumption other than natural cannabis or marijuana occurred.

No words can describe these multiple harmful acts of no treatment to a thriving human being in our society who was mentally impaired, suffering and crying for help. Again, ALL of Kirk’s medical tests turned up negative for Spice and ALL other drugs. A mere description of gross Medical Negligence by the Tri-Cities medical community, DMHP’s, that was a direct cause of our beautiful son’s suicide death. He simply gave up, lost hope and felt no one cared about him as many Teens do in our society. This is unacceptable and this is why we have made significant changes in our State Capitol, Olympia Mental Health Laws and financial support.

Note: Within 40 hours of Kirk’s misplacement by a DMHP to a De-Tox facility then release, he took his own life. This should have never happened had Kirk received loving, appropriate, expected concerned medical care, correct diagnosis and psychotic treatment. Kirk’s condition was determined to have been preventable. In addition, had Kirk received the correct medical attention, advise and had his Sammamish family left with no notification by the attending DMHP’s, not even 1 time and not 1 phone call as had we had any information we could have easily driven to the Tri Cities picked him up to return to the Seattle area for proper medical care. My desire was to place him in a hospital treatment facility in California, as so many families do (because this is where our loved ones are getting the proper care and actually healing thus recovering) and I am convinced this would have saved his life. Yes, the secret is out, WA State kills, not heals! Statistically WA State is ranked as the 48th worst state in our country for poor, failing mental health treatment and # 1 ranked in Teen Suicide. Unbelievable.

We are so saddened by our loss of our loving young son, brother, nephew, friend and mentor to so many. A tragedy all the way around. Simply unacceptable and for this tragedy we are now on a mission to continutally make changes to our State’s Mental Health Laws. Please join us!

Our mission now becomes 1) an educational and awareness issue, 2) our legislative passion to modify the notification law (18 years of age young adult; requiring an exception for a mentally impaired Teen that clearly cannot make or comprehend proper decisions) to have our DMHP’s notify the Teen’s parents regardless and 3) continue to support the success of the passing of Joel’s Law (July 2015) so this doesn’t happen to another Teen struggling and asking for help. Bottom line, this epidemic becomes a social capital responsibility that we all must join in on in order to find resolution.

Please understand and we wish to share with you, that Kirk was an athlete, lived a healthy bright life and in turn a young man that was experiencing a serious “psychotic” mental impairment. Kirk experienced anxiety and following the consumption of marijuana, we later learned that his A.D. D. symptoms were significantly enhanced. For this reason, the young people in our country are suffering: from the reality of our broken mental health system due to the uneducated “gate keeper” or DMHP’s (so called medical professionals), medical professionals looking the other way, Teens not mature enough in their age to comprehend their options and Teens certainly not capable nor equipped to understand their treatment impairments as well as options.

Clearly, the consumption of marijuana is very harmful to our teens, is easily addictive and when not consumed in moderation especially by those whom are at risk with medical disabilities, it can often be and is a fatal drug. I am sure you will agree after reading this horrific story, that no doubt, the experience Kirk lived with was one of helpless, hopeless, lack of compassion, inept medical care and absurdity on all levels. The fact is, Kirk had a psychotic break that went untreated, yet was 100% preventable.

To this extent, we have created the Kirk Hamilton Allen Foundation to educate, assist, support, love and financially help teens experiencing devastating affects on their life from anxiety and/or psychosis from cannabis or this horrific “legalized drug” in the State of WA, called “Spice or K2”. Specifically “Spice”, is banned in 11 states, so why not in Washington State? Furthermore, there are 13 forms of “Spice” that are specifically considered a felony if found in your possession. So ask yourself: Why is it ok that in our state we allow it to be sold in smoke shops?

Please join us in our fight and in Kirk’s name to make a difference in our WA State Mental Health Laws. We need your donation to do so. It is our desire as Kirk’s family to provide education, awareness and secondly, revamp our mental health system, remove or alter the power of our State DMHP’s, and then to recognize the proper life saving treatments needed for those inflicted by anxiety and/or psychosis. It’s our future responsibility and its time as a community we come together to speak out against the hidden and non-discussed affects of cannabis or synthetic drugs on Teen developing minds.

Kirk would want to see a change in our laws to help our youth and saving a teen life. For more information or if we can help you, please feel free to contact us at info@kirkhamiltonallenfoundation.com or direct Foundation line @ 206-724-7227.

Lake Tahoe 6

Our beloved Kirk, tender soul . . . . .always remembered, sorely missed, yet will never be forgotten. We think about you every single day, smile then cry. My heart will never be the same without you. Forever rest in peace my beautiful boy and high on top of that Whistler Mountain that you love so much where you ride those trails, snow board down the mountain, fish and enjoy mother’s nature. My treasured son and wonderful human being you are, you are deeply missed. We love you now and to eternity and beyond. You are my world and we are forever touched by your grace, love and humbled ways. What a lesson and legacy you have taught all of us.