Tuesday, November 19, 2013

POOR LAWS AND LACK OF FUNDING RESULT IN TRAGEDY….AGAIN.

My view?  This is not about Senator  Deeds. This tragedy is about the sad state of mental health services for people who really need it. This would have never happened if the son’s mental health had been taken for what it was…a danger to self and others.  But they let him go because “no bed was available??  Give me a break!
It’s a big deal now because it was a public figure that was “attacked.”  The truth is this happens much more often; my educated guess is at the very least, once a week. Had the State of Virginia had any understanding of the cost of ignoring mental illness, they might (note: might) have strengthened laws and provided funding for young adults like Gus Deeds.
It appears that the psychiatric hospital where he was evaluated released the kid because there wasn’t a bed available and the law didn’t give them the power to keep him; otherwise they would have kept them.
A source told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the emergency custody order, or ECO, allowed Gus Deeds to be held as long as four hours to determine whether he should be held longer, up to 72 hours, under a temporary detention order.
The son was evaluated Monday by the Rockbridge Area Community Services Board in Lexington. An emergency custody order can be issued by any magistrate.
A source said no psychiatric bed was available, which is why Gus Deeds was released.
It’s a tragedy that the Senator has been wounded (and the family has lost their son and brother).   Fortunately his prognosis is good. But the Senator is not the primary victim.  His son is dead because the State of Virginia did not (and does not)  have laws in place or appropriate funding to protect the “Gus’s” of that State from harming themselves or others.   And what’s even worse is that this is the norm throughout the country. This tragedy is but one example of many.  The culture of our country, not just Virginia’s, continues to perceive mental illness as less serious and less a priority than physical illness.  How many tragedies do we have to endure?
Until we as a society change, this is the price that will continue to be paid.  Until our politicians start walking the talk instead of only talking the walk, nothing will change.    Maybe they should all be required to take Psychology 101.
Ultimately it is society’s fault.  We vote our policy makers in and out.   If mental health and mental illness was a priority for the American people,  we wouldn’t see a pervasive pattern of neglect for those who need it the most.
This is how I see it.  Everything we read will be about the Senator as the victim.  His son will be seen as the villain.  What a shame that nothing will change…the country still isn’t ready to own the truth.  And now the real victim is dead.

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