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Psychiatrist here. The mentally ill and the homeless (often not coincidentally related) are often treated poorly by our Emergency Room system. Before California

Psychiatrist here. The mentally ill and the homeless (often not coincidentally related) are often treated poorly by our Emergency Room system. Before Californians get too mad at Nevada, know that California doesn't have a sterling track record here either (though not as specific to mental illness): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-2823079.html http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-2823079.html Sadly, hospitals get little reimbursement for treating mental illness, therefore many inpatient psychiatric wards are closed. I don't know the details, but places I have worked claim these units lose money. In many states and in many hospitals, patients may wait for days and days in the ER before a bed opens there or somewhere else. Supply and demand are grossly mismatched, and reimbursement has not responded to demand. Therefore, units continue to close. Now much of the care of the mentally ill happens through the correctional system or related venues. See prior HN discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6182507 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6182507 It's possible some parts of the Affordable Care Act may help with this: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/21/law-pushes-for-parity-in-mental-health-coverage-/2847889/ http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/21/law-pus... I don't know why so many stories about mistreatment of the mentally ill have been on HN recently, but it makes me happy that smart people are taking an interest.

stevewillows 13y ago
Official or not, many of the homeless around Vancouver say they were given a bus ticket by their respective provincial governments. It's sad to see, but it does seem like this is becoming a hot issue. Alec Baldwin's radio show [1] had an interesting episode with Martin Horn, former New York City Commissioner of Correction and Probation. He touches on the issue of how to appropriately address people wrestling with mental illness in the context of corrections. [1] http://www.wnyc.org/story/289924-martin-horn/ http://www.wnyc.org/story/289924-martin-horn/
jmspring 13y ago
Yep, and living in a central coast region where the weather is great, the benefits are plenty, and most "petty" crimes are a revolving door parade, things are just peachy. Ignoring the local business owner murdered due to the accidental release by CA state psychiatric recovery facilities @ Atascadero [0]; Murder of two police officers due to the military looking the "other way" while discharging an individual without a record of his sexual assaults [1] Two "minor" local incidents speak well of our mental health and criminal justice systems in this state. [0] http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_20573683/suspect-identified-fatal-stabbing-santa-cruz http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_20573683/suspe... [1] http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_22776195/former-defense-secretary-leon-panetta-military-ought-be http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_22776195/former-defense-s...

stevewillows 13y ago

Official or not, many of the homeless around Vancouver say they were given a bus ticket by their respective provincial governments. It's sad to see, but it does seem like this is becoming a hot issue. Alec Baldwin's radio show [1] had an interesting episode with Martin Horn, former New York City Commissioner of Correction and Probation. He touches on the issue of how to appropriately address people wrestling with mental illness in the context of corrections. [1] http://www.wnyc.org/story/289924-martin-horn/ http://www.wnyc.org/story/289924-martin-horn/

jmspring 13y ago

Yep, and living in a central coast region where the weather is great, the benefits are plenty, and most "petty" crimes are a revolving door parade, things are just peachy. Ignoring the local business owner murdered due to the accidental release by CA state psychiatric recovery facilities @ Atascadero [0]; Murder of two police officers due to the military looking the "other way" while discharging an individual without a record of his sexual assaults [1] Two "minor" local incidents speak well of our mental health and criminal justice systems in this state. [0] http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_20573683/suspect-identified-fatal-stabbing-santa-cruz http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_20573683/suspe... [1] http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_22776195/former-defense-secretary-leon-panetta-military-ought-be http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_22776195/former-defense-s...