You do know that the mental health system, such as it was, was
dismantled under Reagan because that is what mental health "advocates"
wanted -- they believed that the system as it was violated the rights of
mentally ill people by forcing them into treatment or hospitals or
whatever, against their will. So Reagan et al. gave them what they
wanted, rights for the mentally ill to decide what they wanted or
needed. So now we have mentally ill people with their rights who can't
get the treatment they need, or who refuse it because it is their right
to do so, and live on the streets and damage themselves and others with
their freedom.
Of course, no one saw that one coming...
--R
On 3/4/15 5:37 PM, Dan Penoff via Mercedes wrote:
Thanks, Grant.
I had skin in that game, as I had a family member who required hospitalization
on a couple of occasions for mental health issues. Fortunately for them at the
time it was pre-Reagan dismantling of public health services and they were able
to get the care and attention they needed for proper treatment. I'm pleased to
say that they are and have been a contributing member of our society as a
result of this and other resources that were available at the time.
I work in an urban area where there are many homeless folks. I'm sure some are
there because they choose to be, but a fair number of them are clearly in need
of mental health services that just don't exist. While none that I have seen
appear to be a threat to society, I often wonder about those we *don't* see who
are living on the fringes and have or could be identified as being in need of
such services.
Hmm.
Dan
On Mar 4, 2015, at 3:23 PM, G Mann via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote:
Dan,
A note of thanks for your even handed moderation of this discussion.
I join with you in the assessment that our society needs to give both
recognition and attention followed by treatment to individuals who display
the potential to harm others. I would be very content to see my tax
dollars spent to treat these persons correctly and remove them from access
to the means to harm others.
In each of the cases of mass murders the "after the fact" investigation
demonstrated the individual had clearly [if anyone had been looking]
displayed a rather long history of unhealthy and antisocial behavior. Our
social system failed in each case to treat these individuals.
This group, I believe, is composed of better than average intelligence
individuals, and as such, are both involved and concerned in making the
place we live safer and better.. Each of us is an individual with different
viewpoints... Thank you for listening to mine.. I would agree with yours..
but then.. we would both be wrong.. ;))
Grant...
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