Woke Mental Health System Is BROKE

Showing how broke our public mental health system is, sisters who begged officials & shrinks to institutionalize their manic bipolar brother after a long series of meltdowns, culminated in his becoming a suspect in a brutal triple homicide.

As the WSJ article related: “The family’s efforts were frustrated by legal protections that bind the hands of loved ones. State laws broadly allow involuntary, short-term hospitalizations for people deemed an acute risk of harm to themselves or others. Generally, however, no one can be forced into long-erm psychiatric care or to take medications unless ordered by a court.” In this case, a one-time academic high school & college over achiever I’ll call “Mr. X,” was obviously & increasingly a deteriorating adult who waffled wildly from being a tender loving person to a raving maniac. At least, so his closest relatives repeatedly warned. Police “knew him well.” But, the more his “psychosis worsened, the less he believed he needed help …” The sisters at one point wrote to two of X’s former mental-health care providers: “[X] has continued to get worse … He NEEDS more treatment & support .. If either of you are in contact with him, I BEG you to please get him to seek some additional inpatient support.” The courts had been no help since no health professional would certify that “X” was an “imminent” threat to anyone.

Just nine days later, the elderly couple who were about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and a 97-year-old mother, were found bludgeoned to death with a knife. The heinous crime had allegedly been traceable to X. The down and dirty: “Authorities say the killings were random & they believe [X] likely didn’t know the victims … He is now confined” at a state-run Shady Rest “where he receives medication, counseling & group therapy.” If this mess ain’t broke …

Davd Soul