The federal government has accused South Dakota of unconstitutionally warehousing the mentally ill and disabled in nursing homes. Meanwhile, at least 16 percent of the nation’s jail and prison inmates are estimated to be mentally ill and about 40 percent of the mentally ill have been incarcerated. Many of the homeless are also mentally ill.
Deinstitutionalization, which began decades ago, was supposed to improve treatment, but was not followed by funding for better care.
Do we need to return to mental hospitals and other forms of institutional commitment to treat those with severe mental illness? Or are there other, more effective means of treatment?
Is that such a horrible thing?
Are the Mentally Ill & Disabled people the ones complaining?
Has the Federal Government got another better alternative in mind for these people or will they just cry foul and run home with the ball?
What’s the point in removing people from institutions (because it’s cruel to keep them in there?) and letting them suffer without any support on their own?
Why don’t they try asking those in the institutions what they want?
Yes it is such a horrible thing. How would the mentally I’ll or disabled be heard if they did complain? I hear them every time I go to.see my son at the nursing home his guardian placed him in. The streets would at least give them visibility and freedom. Please visit an institution or two and see for yourself before making damaging statements.
Well duh, I’ve been to ‘one or two’ myself, and not as a worker, nor visitor. Where the hell do you think my opinion came from- someplace you scraped your stupid statement from?
If he is your son, why did he need a guardian? Why not his own mother? Where have you been? Just “visiting” your own kid for an hour then dashing back to your own limited world?
This is one of those awkward situations where your trying to scold me for something you have not a clue about, and unfortunately, you had to be a dick about it too.
Unless you’ve been in one of these so called horrible places to call your home-or else the open and freedom you think is so grand to call the sad streets of the homeless, you’re way out of line talking out the side of your mouth.
Do us all a favor and keep your stupid opinion to yourself-TROLL.
The assisted living center for the mentally ill where I live is a pretty good model of care for the mentally ill. You’re pretty much allowed to stay here as long as you want. Some stay a few weeks. Some stay a few months. Some stay a few years. And a few of us, myself included, have been here for over a decade. People here get the medication they need and a decent place to live. You get support here. It’s not a bad place, but if you get a few problem people in here it can bring down the quality of life for everyone.
Where I have been is in and out of hospitals with open heart surgery and permanent debilitating heart disease. I visit my son weekly, 120 mile round trip, then recover in between. I know my son hates the locked doors and many residents tell me the same. I am sorry my perspective made you feel the need to call me names, but you need to know that your words really hurt since caring for my son as his guardian is beyond my control.
I 'm sorry for hurting you with my reply, that was never the way I like to treat people. For some reason your response made me angry that you assumed I hadn’t ever visited/been in an institution, and that you felt I had no idea about what I was talking about since it didn’t apply to your particular situation.
You couldn’t have been more wrong.
Yes I do know many folks in the institutions that would rather be ‘Home’, but there are some of us that the institution is far more protective than what we had at ‘Home’ or on the streets.
Not everyone has a safe place to live.
Hi @kekolynn you may not be aware of this, but the forum has changed since you joined a year ago; namely, the Family and Caretaker Category was moved to its own forum.
I’d like to direct you over to our Family forum, found at:
While this forum is for people with schizophrenia and other closely related psychotic disorders, the Family forum is specifically for people like yourself, who have a loved one they are concerned about.
Also, please let your loved one know about this forum as they may find it helpful.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m sorry for my harsh tone. Sometimes I type without thinking first and your response has shown me that I need to think first and not just blurt out my feelings. I don’t write very often so when I do it is about something that catches me in my feelings, which is not good with my explosive replies. You have opened my eyes to how I effect others and I really appreciate that.
It depends on the severity of the disease. People who completely recover definitely don’t need to be in an institution for life. People with the most severe kind do. People in between need a combo of support and freedom. This is a difficult disease to deal with. We have aspiration and dreams that our disease can keep us from achieving and it’s hard to accept the limitations that can result from having this disease, It’s also difficult to continue to take the medicine when we gain weight and suffer from diabetes and other side effects. The occasional mass killing involving a mentally ill person or presumed mentally ill person and the misunderstandings by those whose families are not affected by severe mental illness makes it difficult for funding for the mentally ill to be raised. It’s not an easy problem to solve and not everyone who are mentally ill belong in an institution.
