How Did We Get Here?
The unwillingness for those with severe mental illness is misunderstood or categorized as “ choice’’ or “ they want to be out there.” They are left on the street in the coldest nights and hottest days. Suffering with voices, delusions or addiction. Nothing changes until death. Laws like the Lanterman, Petris, Short Act- Conservatorship (LPS Conservatorship), need to be looked at and re-evaluated. California cannot keep doing what it not working with the homeless crisis. You can not build dormitory shelters to house the severely mentally ill homeless because many times cannot stay because of their illness. You can’t keep throwing money to homeless programs that don’t address the severely mentally ill, who cannot manage their life. You cannot keep expecting the severely mentally ill to ‘’pull themselves up by their boot straps’’ and seek help because many time there brain is working against them with voices, substances, delusions, etc. Metaphorically, they don’t even own shoes, much less boots with straps. Citizens of California need to let their representatives know that the LPS conservatorship need to be reevaluated so families are not left as hapless bystanders in their loved ones demise due to severe mental illness.
A Need for Mental Health reform.
Wash, Rinse and Repeat the Cycle -
A Broken System.
Wash, Rinse, Repeat
the Cycle.
Many times police have to play the role of social worker. Some cities have a form of mental health emergency personnel, trained and called upon when needed to work with police in the field. But, all to often police are the ones making a decision whether a person needs to be 5150’d or not.
They are taken to a facility for stabilization then released back to the street.
Depending if they committed a crime and arrested, they may stay in jail. They are eventually released without real support and end up repeating the cycle.
Wash, Rinse, Repeat the Cycle
The current system has become like a, “washing machine.”
‘Wash, rinse, repeat the cycle.’ They are ill, with their brain working against them. As one person in law enforcement said; “ their brain is hijacked.”
As a strong supporter of fundamental freedoms and liberty, I understand the balance between liberty and forced help.
I have come to understand the danger an untreated, severely mentally ill person can poses, as threat to communities or themselves.
Just as was experienced by Governor Newsom, who was attacked with a water bottle by a man with a mental illness, probably untreated and in crisis.
Just as a women who was out simply walking her dogs, in Riverside CA and was fatally attacked by another women, who was later described as mentally ill. Only to leave a family wanting to know why the suspect was out of jail. “I hope they can see from this incident, this person or these people who are getting let out, for clearly a violent criminal act, I mean... what if it was their daughter?" her son said. The women was just released from jail under COVID-19 protocols after allegedly attacking a woman with skateboard a week before. She was booked for an assault with a deadly weapon charge. ( Taken from the work of Kim Tobin -
Published April 5, 21 ).
This is the exact opposite of what Lanterman tried to prevent. The current system is not set up for people like the suspect in the stabbing case or my little sister, Becky.
Many will never receive the true help needed.
The end up on the streets, in jail, or committing suicide.
Prior to deinstitutionalization, there were horror stories of treatment and abuse. Since then, we have grown as a humanitarian society.
Project Becky is not about stripping someone of fundamental freedoms and liberties. It is about protecting the most vulnerable.