[Newsbot]

Title: Vancouver police say resources drained by mentally ill
Category: Health
Posted By: Strutz
Date: 2011-09-12 21:55:36
Canadian

[andyt]

this is what happens when you dump the metally ill on the street with no support.

[BartSimpson]

andyt andyt:

this is what happens when you dump the metally ill on the street with no support.

No, this is what happens when lawyers assert that the mentally ill cannot be held against their will in public mental asylums. If your country, like mine, asserts that these people have the right to be homeless and deranged then that's the way it is.

[andyt]

In my country it had nothing to do with lawyers. It was governments following the worldwide trend of de-institutionalization, but then instead of using the money saved to provide supportive housing for the mentally ill ( who could do quite well if they took their meds and had somebody looking after them) they just dumped them on the streets. Now we pay for that, and it costs way more than providing proper supports. Most mentally ill don't need to be locked in big asylums, but need supportive housing where it is insured they take their meds and otherwise don't go off the deep end. But that cost money - way less than looking after the homeless tho.

[DrCaleb]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

andyt andyt:

this is what happens when you dump the metally ill on the street with no support.

No, this is what happens when lawyers assert that the mentally ill cannot be held against their will in public mental asylums. If your country, like mine, asserts that these people have the right to be homeless and deranged then that's the way it is.

Because for years, that's the way people dealt with others - they found a sympathetic Doctor and had them 'committed' against their will for 'deviancy' and other thought crimes. The side effect was that people that actually needed the help couldn't get it.