Deinstitutionalization

Clayton Cramer has written a piece on how we treat our mentally ill that is just heart breaking. I have seen some of these issues play out with a close relative. Very painful. Sadly, there is not much help out there and hardly any one interested. When we de-institutionalized people with mental problems a considerable good was done to many of them. However, considerable harm has been done to those who have difficulty coping.

Here is a bit of what Clayton has to say on the subject.

Many schizophrenics aren't scary. Those who do become violent, even if it is just property damage, create enormous fear in family and friends. Unfortunately, the problem that Vicki is going through is one shared by large numbers of parents across America. Some marriages do not survive the stress.

I've been planning to start annoying my legislators about the failures of our current system here in Idaho (and unfortunately, Idaho isn't unusual at all), but I've been waiting for a break in my current research project. It's time to turn my energies onto the Idaho legislature.

Too many lives are being destroyed.

You should read the whole thing. And this and this (also linked at Clayton's site). Then you should go to work on your legislature.

Cross Posted at Classical Values and at The Astute Bloggers