To the Editor:
Sadly there is one disability that has been painfully ignored by the Americans With Disabilities law and the broken mental health system throughout our country and in our own county.
A non-partisan bill now in Congress was proposed by Dr. Tim Murphy, HR 2646. If enacted, this law would help families in a mental health crisis act.
There is a huge misunderstanding with an acute and profound serious mental illness, that goes untreated and dumped out without care at all to the streets, homeless and psychotic, because the person has lost all insight they need to ask for medical care.
There are many fixable reasons that could bring treatment to the sickest of the sick that is hampered by the lack of understanding. There would be less stigma if there was treatment before tragedy. The behavioral health system views this serious brain disease as a mere behavior problem and is voluntary only. Those unaware how ill they are are dumped from the system homeless by hostels too. Those aware of their disease are selfishly against funding going to treatment because they feel it violates their civil rights and dignity.
I ask you, where is the dignity of homelessness, talking to voices only they hear and painfully being unable to care for themselves?
That said, I beg our federal representatives to take heed and support bringing treatment to our forgotten and deserted loved ones.
Nancy J. Jones
Shorewood
