To: President Donald Trump
Violence? guns not the issue, mental health is.
Mr. President, the time has come for you to use all the influence in your office to lead the fight to make mental health treatment affordable for all. Until then, violent crimes, like the shooting in Connecticut, will surely continue to happen.
Why is this important?
Let's address the real problem: mental illness causes almost every violent disaster like the shootings in Newtown, Conn And until we make treatment available to those who need it, these tragic disasters will continue. We all have seen what happens when we don't. In fact, often the aggressor is already known for previous violent behavior.
Helping to stem violent disasters has somehow become bogged down in an argument about gun control. That argument will probably continue for years, but it is unlikely to help right now. Instead we need immediate care for those with serious mental issues, because not treating mental illness has become a national issue.
Treatment and drugs for mental illness are often prohibitively expensive. Unfortunately, patients with serious mental illnesses are often those who can least afford it. Worst of all, insurance carriers often exclude serious mental health illness from adequate and effective coverage. We need an aggressive plan to treat those with serious mental health issues, including requiring insurance carriers to cover treatment and medication, especially in cases with the potential for violence.
While this would certainly help those individuals who are seriously mentally ill, the collective impact would make our whole country a safer place to live
Helping to stem violent disasters has somehow become bogged down in an argument about gun control. That argument will probably continue for years, but it is unlikely to help right now. Instead we need immediate care for those with serious mental issues, because not treating mental illness has become a national issue.
Treatment and drugs for mental illness are often prohibitively expensive. Unfortunately, patients with serious mental illnesses are often those who can least afford it. Worst of all, insurance carriers often exclude serious mental health illness from adequate and effective coverage. We need an aggressive plan to treat those with serious mental health issues, including requiring insurance carriers to cover treatment and medication, especially in cases with the potential for violence.
While this would certainly help those individuals who are seriously mentally ill, the collective impact would make our whole country a safer place to live