I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother by Lisa Long

[Catty1]

Being in Canada I hesitate sometimes to post my opinion in the original post.

However, since support for mental health care in Canada is no picnic either I agree with Ms. Long that re-opening and staffing mental health centres would be a good starting point. I would hope that some of the funding could be diverted from the corrections department as prison overcrowding is due to the number of people with mental illnesses taking up the space.

I don't in which state it exists, but there is the Baker act which enables someone to be involuntarily committed for a psychiatric assessment.

And we as individuals need to keep our ears and eyes open for 'signs', whatever they may be.

[Catty1]

Both sides of this have to be tackled IMO.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/democrats-m...064738993.html

WASHINGTON - Democrats say meaningful action in the wake of last week's elementary school shooting must include a ban on military-style assault weapons and a look at how the U.S. deals with individuals suffering from serious mental illness.

(Emphasis mine).

[Karen]

involuntarily committed for a psychiatric assessment.

Yup - but it's a limited thing, a "72-hour psych hold" - and once that is over, what does one do? Especially with someone intelligent enough to "fool" the system, or just sign themselves out. You cannot make someone get help if they do not want it.

[Catty1]

I wonder if the law could be changed so that a person would be held until they agreed to\had the assessment? I can see the personal rights issue being brought in here, but any future casualties have rights too.