Newsradio 1020 KDKA Editorial: Mental Health
Congressman Tim Murphy says the nation's mental health system is broken.
Some terrifying examples –
The Virginia Tech shootings –
The Newtown, Connecticut massacre –
The Florida mom who drove her minivan into the ocean –
With her three kids inside –
Or the McCandless mother who heard "voices" –
Before drowning one son in the bathtub and critically injuring the other.
Murphy – who's a clinical psychologist –
Has legislation making it easier for families of the mentally ill to intervene.
It also provides incentives for out-patient treatment options.
But he admits this is just a first step.
Revamping the mental health system means talking about difficult issues –
Like patients' rights versus their safety – and the public's safety.
But as difficult as it may be – Congressman Tim Murphy is right.
The discussion is long overdue.