Currently many insurances treat mental illness as a short term condition, paying for very short, stop-gap measures, then turning out patients with long-term illness back on the streets. Because of this many are left without treatment because they cannot pay for the therapy that will lead them back into becoming healthy, productive members of society. We need to make sure that Americans with mental illness are recognized and treated for as long as it takes for them to regain their health, and research dollars are directed toward discovering the physiological causes of mental illness.
Why is this important?
In thoughtful and compassionate response to the tragedy of the shootings in New Town, CT, and the many other shootings that have happened in recent years, we need to address the lack of effective and long-term services for those among us who are experiencing mental illness.
