Weird questions about mental illness at the DMV..

I recently got my ID at the dept. of motor Vehicles in Maryland..( it's a drivers license without the you can drive part).They went through the normal ID stuff,then much to my horror they asked me if I had a mental illness.They showed me a list asking if I have ever been diagnosed with any of these conditions.Every condition on that list was a mental illness diagnosis,manic depression schizophrenia,etc.(PSTD and just Depression,and alcoholism was NOT on that list ironically) I didn't know how to answer. I wanted to NOT answer. Than I wondered if they can get access to my medical records..Because I knew they'll find a dozen or so diagnosis I have had over the years(most of them were on that list)and that I'm disabled.I felt trapped by a catch 22 that made me feel really uncomfortable.So I checked off manic depression. Just to end the dilemma in my head.Then the screen said some kind of review officer/board would have to okay me for any license to drive a vehicle in the future. What?? a DMV psych test? WTF does the DMV need to know my psych shit for? Can you say DISCRIMINATION?? PROFILING? But for what ends do they ASK these things? Why? Why do they want to subject me to the opinions of my mental state by some bullshit DMV psych inspector for? If I am stopped by any cop will he know my psych history now? How will that knowledge affect how I am treated by cops(cops in Maryland freak out if confronted by mental illness)(Will I be taken seriously when I make a 911 call?

And I wanna know Why they are asking!

Other conditions might require a doctor's statement or a medical review board to make a determination. Some manic depressives are so severe that they are frequently delusional and the medications they take to keep from getting delusional might not be compatible with getting behind the wheel of an auto. Although those that have that severity might be the minority of the overall cases, those aren't people you'd want to have a driver's license. Some people with epilepsy or severe diabetics aren't able to get a driver's license either.

If you really want the government to crawl up your medical records, apply for a pilot's certificate. Most of the certificates require a lot of medical scrutiny, and people have been put in jail for lying on the questionnaire.

Just a state ID card. Did you read beyond the title?

the ID would be the same even if it did not make sense. But still. One thing they may be looking for is people on medication that may effect their driving skills. Some of those medicines make you sleepy or loopy. You should not be behind the wheel. She should have challenged them on the question and whether or not it HAD to be answered for and ID.

Did you read past the 1st sentence?

Cheers!

it appears that YOUR reading comprehension is in question, if not your own mental health. Way to go off on someone for no good reason. :eyes:

It is scary how no one in authority notices.

But I didn't know if they would try to fuck with my SSI, or they'd look into my medical records and get the truth anyway.I have NO IDEA WHY they ask for this information.
Epilepsy I can understand,same with addiction because those conditions CAN endanger you and others on the road.But asking about someones Schizophrenia WTF??

that are often prescribed for BiPolar, Schizophrenia ect.

Mood Stabilizers and anti psychotics along with anti anxiety drugs (benzodiazapenes) are falling under more scrutiny due possibly to new per se drug laws. They may ask for info from your doc to determine your competency to drive if you must take these or certain other meds. Why they were asking all this for an ID? :shrug:

It doesn't seem right either way IMO.

Please read threads before responding to them. Thanks, very much.

Or will you make it your mission to scold each one? Because if you do you will be very, very busy.

Thank you kind sir! :hi:

I made the distinction. Thanks, very much :-)

Just so you know, also... it looks like the Obama administration is pulling a Raygun.... challenging a lot of people on their disabiility, and threatening cutoffs.

A woman I know said, "I expect to see a lot of suicides."

Shades of Raygun, 1980s. :(

But now it really pisses me off.

Even if you are driving, what difference does it make? I know lots of people with diagnosis of mental illness who drive. It has nothing to do with whether they can parallel park, or know what the traffic signs mean. The only thing I could see as a problem would be road rage and anybody can have that whether mentally ill or not. I would try to get some legal advice on this even if on some Maryland message board online before you talk to any officer on the DMV.

Because I checked "manic depression" if I ever drive even a scooter they'll have to "approve" my mental state first now. This shit is wrong and I want to know WHY they're doing it!! Is it part of bush's "new freedom intitative" that went overlooked after bush left, but is now enforced? Obama has not touched anything about mental illness legislation yet. As far as I know Obama has not stopped any of the authoritarian bullshit in that initiative put forth by the idiot bush aided by that little hitler he put in charge of what happens to the mentally ill in Amerikkka Sally Satel.

that your state has various regulations on people with a history of mental illnesses operating motor vehicles, and that your DMV was complying with those regulations.

As expressed in the OP's initial sentence.

http://www.dmv.org/md-maryland/medical-conditions.php

Scroll down a bit and you'll see a link to "a list of medical conditions you must report"

But it doesn't explain *why* you must report them.

then I started thinking of my own situation.

I have various anxiety disorders like GAD, Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, etc.

I don't generally drive very many places. I don't think I've driven more than 50 miles in the past nine years, but I do occasionally find myself HAVING to drive short distances.

I often wonder what would happen if, for example, I suddenly have a panic attack while passing a certain section of road that scares the hell out of me each time I have to drive it. What if I'm slowing down and freaking out? Will I be pulled over by a passing cop who thinks I may be drunk or something and then arrested????

One comfort that this having to report a mental illness would give me (if I lived in MD or another state that required that info) is that at least it would be on file that I do have panic disorder and the best thing a cop could do would be to allow me to progress at my own pace to a place where I can pull safely off the road and calm down. Then I can be on my way and everything is alright.


And for diabetics...it could mean the difference between getting that person treatment that could save his/her life or treating the person like s/he is drunk.

I can see good and bad, though, here, depending on how the information will be used.

pregnancy, etc. We can't screen everyone for what "could" or "might" happen.

I am a therapist and I treat anxiety disorders. Haven't had a patient yet who killed anyone due to panic behind the wheel. The whole thing sounds f'ing discriminatory to me!

Has schizophrenia and he drives better than most of my'normal' family does.My mom gets pissed off easy, she's impatient,and sometimes she gets a lead foot because she has no patience.She is like a mix of a bad cartoon network skit and an impending train wreck with finding parking spots at the mall.Hilarious and stress inducing at the same time.

On the other hand watching my bf drive,it makes ME relax, he is almost zen about it. He is so calm ,aware and steady and he has nothing bad on his driving record.Not even a parking ticket.My mom,my sisters aunts etc..well that's another story..(and they aren't diagnosed at all).

I've had anxiety disorders since 1962.

Agoraphobia since 1972.


I have almost caused accidents while I was driving. A person doesn't necessarily have to pass out to be dangerous.


Enough said.

Do you think it's acceptable to bar people from driving based on what might happen? If so, then let's bar anyone who has ever had any kind of dizziness whatsoever, anyone who drinks, anyone who sends text messages, and anyone who sneezes rapidly.

My number of years in practice is irrelevant.

:applause:

"If so, then let's bar anyone who has ever had any kind of dizziness whatsoever, anyone who drinks, anyone who sends text messages, and anyone who sneezes rapidly."

I believe there will also be studies that show that repeated snippiness is also a driving hazard.

:)

The OP was applying for a state ID card, not a driver's license.

It's just where my mind went with the topic.

Hope that's OK.

;)

That can be a very dangerous assumption.

Second, that the legal requirement of a alcohol test would somehow prove positive...????

Lastly, the OP was about an ID...NOT driving.

it's just where my mind went with the topic.


Did my contribution somehow "soil" the entire thread?


Does Free Association bother you for some reason? Oooh...I think I'll talk about....

Pickles


dill, or sweet?


geez...people need to chill here.

:eyes:

The OP is applying for an ID, not a DL. I think the OP needs to ask for a supervisor to explain why/if answering these questions is necessary for mere legal identification.

EDIT ADD: I may be missing something but according to this page, the OP should not have to answer mental health/physical condition questions in order to obtain an ID:

http://www.mva.maryland.gov/AboutMVA/INFO/26300/26300-33T.htm

Apparently about half of the people who responded did not bother to read your post at all. They seem to think that you were applying for a driver's license. So, whatever they said is based on a single word in your thread title.

Please, folks....read the OP before posting...

The "DMV" in the title had me predisposed to thinking "drivers license". Weird how my brain then filtered.....

:banghead:

I see DMV mentioned.

I read about the ID only, but then get to reading a link about what's required for a driver's license.

My mind then takes that and processes it and I totally forget about the OP.


How ironic that people who think of themselves as being "progressives" or "liberals" can't understand that not everyone has the same thinking processes.

Some were just smart enough to figure out that obviously Maryland has the state ID and driver's license programs answering the same questionnaire. The OP's question was then answered based on that information without making any judgment calls on the reasoning for such procedures.

Reading doesn't do you much good without comprehension and the cognition to connect the dots.

Cheers!

If enough people only applying for IDs get pissed off enough, maybe they can petition to have the applications changed.


Or maybe the State of Maryland has data which shows that a certain percentage of people who apply for an ID then go on to get a drivers license at some point, and they figure it's easier to have the information already on file.


There are probably loads of reasons for the whole thing, but it seems people only want to see evil motives instead of looking outside the box.

I read it.

I understood it.

I don't know why an ID only would need such information. I got distracted by the information posted by someone else who linked to what's required for a driver's license.

So sue me for not putting the blinders on.


:shrug:

which is something that actually interferes with safe driving. Of course, nobody would ever admit to it. Other than that, I don't know that a psych diagnosis is any of their business.

(lawmakers).

So, it will never happen.

Sadly.

Unless maybe somebody really important and influential is killed by a roadrager.

*Maybe*

The cops are guilty of road rage, so we won't screen for it?

Huh.

Huh right back.

:silly:

I was at the DMV last month and I got the full treatment due to a license that expired over a year ago (I know, I know. I dread the DMV). They asked me nothing of the sort. They didn't even ask if I was having a good day. And their toilet was out of order. Do you know how long 3 hours is on an empty stomach full of coffee? Long.

Mabye they're trying to assess who will go postal during the experience. :-)

The first sentence.

I don't do well with run-on paragraphs. Spacing is our friend.

Guess driving is out for a month or so, eh?

:eyes:

and since the only purpose of an ID is to prove that you are who you say you are, I would not have answered the questions. I mean, what are they going to do? Come back to you 6 months down the road and say you lied? Then you can point out that they violated HIPAA laws in order to obtain that info.

If there was an unauthorized release of medical records from a healthcare provider TO the DMV, the OP could, and should, raise hell under HIPAA.

and failure to disclose may subject one to some unpleasant penalties (in the case of a drivers' license, at least).

Not that that means one ought always to disclose certain information- but it's always wise to balance that factor into the equation.

and it has everything to do with HIPAA.

Nothing in HIPAA prevents such requests- although depending on the effect as to an ID card, other relevant provisions of state and federal law may well apply.

does not have to comply with HIPAA regulations. However, as a consumer of health care, the OP is covered under HIPAA.

If the OP chooses not to answer the medical questions, the only way the state agency would be able to verify the correctness of such information would be to access it through a covered health care entity.

Since the health care entity is governed under the HIPAA requirements, they are not required to disclose this information. I don't believe that the DMV would be considered a "business associate" of the covered entity.

Thanks.

that requires you to disclose. However, I would just not answer the questions and cite my civil rights under HIPAA and let the courts figure it out. I really can't find anything in here that requires a health care provider to disclose this information to anyone except a business associate who would have a need to know.

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html

Things are getting more and more intrusive, and it helps to have resources like this to peruse.

And, thanks for actually answering my question.... It gets so tiring to see that typical DU "google is your friend" stuff. I help others with resources, and I appreciate the same.

:yourock:

and the more I think about it, they probably would not ask the question if they knew it was against the law. HOWEVER, I would NOT disclose this information since my neighbor, for example, may work for the DMV and see it (you get my point)...ESPECIALLY not for something as simple as an ID card. For a license, I would re-think my position.

or other like such?

As I see this nation getting more and more ugly, I just don't have the trust in ANY entity having my best interests at heart. :(

when trying to obtain a license.

For example...if a schizophrenic goes off his/her meds and is having a bad episode behind the wheel, it might be useful for the cops to see this illness on the license before they tazer the hell out of him for being uncooperative.

It may be useful for a police officer to know if a person is a diabetic if a person is passed out behind the wheel, etc.

I see the opposite more and more.

Truthfully, I wouldn't want to trust cops with that sort of info. They are often badly informed, and operate out of stereotypes.

I am speaking from experience, as being homeless and being treated badly by the cops. A few of us met with a couple of clergy a few days ago, and this is one of the things that came up. The other woman has had a *really* bad experience with the cops, and they definitely went out of their way to try to harm her.

Believe me, it is very frightening to be on the bottom of the ladder, and be vulnerable to stuff like this. I am on the verge of tears just trying to write about it... that conversation was very draining....it had one of the clergy in tears, too. I am afraid that people can't understand what it is like until they are on the receiving end of it.

The other part of that is that we also know that if we were to be a victim in some way that we can't count on the cops to actually be there in the "serve and protect" mode. :cry:

Frightening to say the very least.

and I wish I knew what to say. :(

I have seen employment applications that ask for your age. This is clearly against the law, but they ask anyway.

My philosophy is that *I* decide what information I am willing to give up on a form.

As far as cops go...I answer their questions until I feel they are probing and then I limit what I say.

It's the same all over...many cops are really good, and then there are some that know how to beat the shit out of you and get away with it. It's a goddamn shame.

It would never have occurred to me to be wary of cops.

Being homeless has been a very unwelcome education in this kind of reality. But I sure do understand now from a visceral level just what so many segments of the population have gone through during our history. Not that I didn't understand before, but now I know it in my GUT.

You wouldn't have even believed what happened to the other woman who testified the other day. She had told me before, but this was the first time she spoke of it in this kind of public setting. Even though *she* was the victim, it is still humiliating to speak of. Both of us have been goody-two-shoes all our lives, and to be subjected to this treatment .... I don't even know the words for it.

I guess what is weird to me is how many people will fill out anything and everything, and don't seem to have any question about the motive for them being asked. ???

"and I wish I knew what to say"

Just the fact that you understand means a lot. For those of us who get so much unwarranted hatred, a bit of understanding can make our whole day. :hi:

Note that is says, "driver". As such, I'd have tried to decline answering to see if they'd still provide a simple ID card.

Sorry about this grief!



:patriot:

anything, it looks like people need to be a bit more careful in deciding to trust the therapist concerning those drugs.

And, I think that undergroundpanther had a very good point about #13, if I remember correctly. There is a mistaken idea that PTSD is a psychosis, when in fact it is not.

asked but not answered above