Never expected this one. I work at an outpatient mental health agency. Usually pretty tame other than a few angry clients from time to time.

Today I got called to our lobby because a young man of about 12 was kicking, hitting, biting, scratching, spitting, and cussing most anything in range. He was obviously in a psychotic state. A common condition for clients on a crisis unit or on a psychiatric ward, but not at an outpatient agency.

As I went to the front I passed the office of our IT guy who just happens to be an ex-cop. He heard the commotion and came without question. A lady on the support staff had the young man in a "basket hold" but he was doing some damage to her. The two of us guys took over and put the kid in a more forceful, but still not painful hold (cops and psych techs use some of the same moves. Did I mention I worked psych wards for many years and did this nasty business a lot?).

The young man kept attacking from his psychotic mind set - an altered level of consciousness - so we put him gently onto the carpeted floor. After it became obvious that he wasn't going to deescalate and that there was major psychois happening the CEO called the police who let us continue to wrestle with him until the paramedics arrived. The medics used soft cloth restraints and then strapped him to a gurney for the ride to the hospital.

I wound up with a bloody wrist where his finger nails got me on a reach back move.

Don't know if there is anyone anywhere who goes to work on a psychiatric unit or high acuity crisis unit kilted. I was kilted for this sad event. It may be the first ever kilted take down of a psychotic client.

Was in my new Gordon Modern USA Kilt Casual. (pics previously posted today on the pic forum)

From my point of view I felt I had a lot more manuverability kilted than in past years when wearing pants.

Moved up here to this work to escape the insanity of regular take downs on psych and crisis units at my age (61 now). This is the first time in five years we've had to lay hands on. Glad its over. Glad there were no injuries beyond bloody scratches. Glad the young man is getting the help he needs.

Ron