A bipolar woman’s parental rights were terminated earlier this year upon the recommendation of a court-appointed guardian.

No one, not even the mother, denies that she was unable to be a fit parent when her baby boy was born … almost three years ago.

But the mother argues that her illness is well-managed now and that now she is fit and well able to care for her son. Yet, she contends, no one involved in her son’s case is willing to look past her past.

Mental health advocates are taking up the mother’s cause on behalf of the many parents whose parental rights are routinely terminated solely because they suffer from a mental illness – without any showing that the mental illness actually jeopardizes the welfare of their children or that support from social services couldn’t adequately address any legitimate concerns.

Read more in this St. Louis Post-Dispatch article: Mental health is at crux of parental rights case.