Have to second (or is it third) this posting. Mental illness is a city issue, and not only among the homeless. Awareness of mental illness is a huge problem, as evidenced in the police behavior over the past year, but also in many of our daily lives. Folks just don't know how to recognize it and/or deal with it.
So many people think that the only ones mentally ill are those who are raving, talking crazy, seeing things and hearing voices. Mental illness does include those symptoms, but delusions can be very subtle too: as with most things, there's a continuum of severity. Talking about and doing something about mental illness seems to be the last great taboo in our society. In my opinion this is because the line between mental illness and sanity can be pretty faint and thus, it is precarious emotional ground.. For me, it helps to think "cognitive impairment" rather than mental illness. I think it gives a much better picture. Wellstone sponsored a bill that makes mental illness coverage equal to other insurance coverage for the first time. All well and good, but what of the working poor and homeless in our city -- without health benefits? Is this a city government issue, or a county issue or is it split between city and county (city covers housing, county covers social services)? Whoever is in charge, they aren't doing the job that needs to be done, and because of it there are more tragedies on our streets than necessary. Barbara Nelson Once and future Minneapolitan presently living in Burnsville _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
