Sad and disturbing

Edit at bottom.

Tuesday night I couldn't sleep so I was just flipping threw the channels. Now, I don't have satellite or cable so I have about 4 channels. Sometimes 5. Anyway, one I always have is PBS which is great because my kids love PBS Kids.



Anyway, Tuesday night on PBS they were doing this thing I think was called Lifeline. They were basically documenting what the severely (chronic) mentally ill people go through. It was hard to watch yet I couldn't tear myself away from it.



Basically what they said was there are not enough state mental hospitals and the ones that are there, are so crowded that they have to release patients KNOWING that they will relapse and end up back in jail within weeks or months. They said out of 100,000 released, 90% will be back within months.



The sad part is, there isn't many places that will help the mentally ill without insurance or lots of money. They are expected to walk out, get a job, house, stay on meds.... basically all by themselves. Most of the time, that's just not going to happen and they know it. One nurse actually said about one guy, "He will be back within three months and we just pray he doesn't hurt someone before he comes back."



The disturbing part is that they release these people KNOWING they are a danger to society! But, they say they have no choice. Once their meds are regulated, out the door they go. One lady said that "Prison is the best place for them (3 hots and a cot plus someone regulating their meds) and what does that say about our country?!"



One guy had been through the jail, state hospital, release, and back to jail scenario 18 times in 2 years! Scary huh?



I don't know what would be a good solution but what they are doing now is not working and hasn't for a LONG time.

I would like to add that a few weeks ago, I posted about how if the mentally ill CHOOSE to not take their meds, then they should be responsible for what they do while "crazy". Like my cousins ex-wife who does have a job, home, and insurance and still chose to not take her meds. A lot of theses people I am talking about in this post did not have a choice because they had no means to get their meds. Just wanted to add that so I didn't sound like a hypocrite.