Psychologist Shortage Puts Mentally Ill Out on Street

[MountainLaurel]

Severely mentally ill people in Fairfax County whose families are trying to get them emergency help are being released without receiving treatment -- or even a hearing -- because there are not enough independent psychologists to examine them.

Nineteen people held involuntarily on temporary orders have been released from hospitals since mid-October, authorities said. Fairfax mental health experts and police are trying to keep track of those let back out on the street.

But with each release, lawyers and police officers are becoming increasingly concerned about the danger to the public. Mentally ill people in Fairfax have become violent in the past. In May, a mentally ill teenager, whose family had repeatedly tried to get him help, drove into the Sully police station parking lot and fatally shot two officers before being killed himself.

"There is a very serious public safety issue here," said Kaye Fair, director of emergency services for the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, which provides mental health services. "People that, by definition, are dangerous to themselves or others are being released without a hearing."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/05/AR2006110500741.html

[EFerrari]

1. Where is this? I can't get the WaHo to load for me. n/t

[MountainLaurel]

2. Fairfax County, VA

Just west of Arlington and Alexandria.

[EFerrari]

9. I'm sorry to hear this. Here in CA, we're in the same shape. n/t

[Skidmore]

3. It is not just a psychologist shortage contributing to this, but

the lack of funding for long-term care and hospitalization. I know of stories of people being dropped off at emergency wards of hospitals when their funding for supervised living situations has run out. Nursing homes leaving old people and those with mental retardation or severe care needs at the ER doors because they have no funds available to care for them. I have a friend working as an intake specialist for an ER who needs to talk suicidal people into not hurting themselves until they can get to the local MH center the next morning. FUNDING FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES HAS BEEN STRIPPED... COMPASSIONATE GD CONSERVATISM AT ITS BEST. Sorry, but I'm angry!!!

[catmandu57]

13. My sil is having some serious issues just now

This episode was bad enough they kicked her out of my mil's house into a shorterm ward at our local hospital. Her brother is a disaffected wing nut, who suddenly has to get his 40 sister into a tattered, and battered mental health system.

He was talking about her living in an institution, I told him there are four parts to the system now, there are shorterm care facilities such as the one she's in.

There are group homes and nursing homes if he is lucky, she can get into one of them.

There is jail and prison down the road, and, then there is homelessness, living on the streets, then death.

I don't think he's as red now after coming face to face with what has happened under compassionate conservatism.

[raccoon]

4. In SC, funding for the Dept. of Mental Health has been cut back

in recent years. I'd be willing to bet a lot of states have cut back in that area.

[TahitiNut]

5. Repeat after me: "Universal Health Care! Now!"

We're the only industrialized nation without it. We have a political elite who're "pwned" by those who profit from human suffering and death. Political necrophilia. Despicable.

[TwentyFive]

10. Oh no - health care is an optional luxury item.

If people can't afford it, they should just do without. </sarcasm>

[MountainLaurel]

14. Not to mention

That 9 times out of 10 mental illness isn't included in health care plans. So it's especially a luxury item.

[Bitwit1234]

6. JUST WONDERING

Does this poster have anything to do with APRIL.

[Dora]

7. What?

[blogslut]

11. yeah, um

WHAT?

[MountainLaurel]

12. Eh?

Is that some secret society or something?

[Spangle]

8. THIS is what our Military is coming home to ! ! !

War is hell. And it doesn't just go away. What our men and women see and do, while under orders will be hard to deal with in 'real life'. The military will just pat them on the head and send them home to their familys. Without the mental health care they need.

In the civilian world, there is a shortage of providers and a shortage of funds to provide the services. Without jobs, and most diffently without medical insurance... these people are gonig to be 'lost' without help.

What a way for saying 'Thank You.' How is THAT honoring our military service personal???