virginian happy to be represented by State Sen. Miller

[liberalitch]

A while back when I read about the fact that one of our state senators thought that mental illness is caused by demons, I wondered how long it would take before the word leaked out nationally that we have such republicans in Va. The only place I've seen any exposure on it is at DU (Conservative Idiots this week).

People wonder why Va. lags behind other states in treating our mentally ill patients like humans, it is because we have elected officials like Rerras.

I am SOOOOOOO glad Sen Yvonne Miller is my state senator!

[demnan]

1. Well I think Virginia lags behind other states in treating

mental illness because we've elected all our mentally ill patients as Republican state legislators. :crazy:

By giving them jobs we simply keep in denial about them.

And if we don't live in Richmond we don't have to see them anyway.

[arcane1]

2. this was in the top 10 idiots today?

:shrug:

I recall the story but I don't think I ever saw any link to it..

as an ex-Richmonder, I can relate to your sentiment! :silly:

[underpants]

3. Actually Virginia has a very long history of treating mental illnesses

I know about this as I have worked in the field. Virginia does a very good job of MR MH and substance abuse. This one idiot does not represent the work that is done here.

You should keep an eye on the "Reinvestment" program. Virginia is basically going to get everyone they can out of the state hospitals and spend the money (less actually) on rents and counselors. It is very risky in that if one mistake is made the whole program could shut down. We'll see but I wanted to give you a heads up.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. Watch out, Virginia!

"You should keep an eye on the "Reinvestment" program. Virginia is basically going to get everyone they can out of the state hospitals and spend the money (less actually) on rents and counselors. It is very risky in that if one mistake is made the whole program could shut down. We'll see but I wanted to give you a heads up."

This sounds suspiciously like the program ol' Ronnie sold to Californians back in the day. We did empty out our state run menat health hospitals, but the housing and counseling that was supposed to be there didn't work out. Yup, we emptied our hospitals out all right...right out into our urban streets.

[underpants]

5. Yes that was a cut and run job that basically created homelessness

at least on the scale we have now. This has been in the works (the did the same here in Virginia back then) for several years and they are planning on getting it right this time. Planning that is. The cuts Reagan did in the 80's were immediate and they just let people out. Today, except for those dangerous to themselves or others, they are going to be let out very slowly with much monitoring of the people and the program.

It is considered by many in the field that these people, those who can, are better off in the community not in a hospital with no one else but other MI MR sufferers. It is also cheaper than maintaining huge facilities, which looks good in the paper not that this is getting hardly any attention even here.