Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) is calling on Congress to throughly review the circumstances behind last weekend's shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and 18 others before taking any legislative action.
Murphy, a psychologist and co-chairman of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, said the tragedy hit close to home for lawmakers but that it's important for them to have all the answers before taking action.
"Right now you have a number of members of Congress who really want to do something, and they don't know what they're going to do so they are reaching out in the areas that they know something about -- gun control, security systems, Internet control," Murphy told The Hill.
"What I want to do is use the resources and talent of the Mental Health Caucus and sit down and review this with professionals once we have more data and then ask the questions: Were there gaps in care or in the process here that can be remedied by congressional action?" he said.
The debate over mental healthcare in the U.S. has resurfaced in the wake of last weekend's shooting because the suspect, Jared Lee Loughner, is widely believed to have been mentally ill. He was removed from Pima Community College and his parents were told he wouldn't be allowed back until a mental health expert had assessed him, but it appears he was never evaluated or treated.
Murphy said a congressional review could uncover multiple possible breakdowns that could then be effectively addressed: "What was the school aware of? Did they make referrals for counseling, for therapy? Did someone follow through? What were the parents aware of? What were the law enforcement agencies aware of? Was there any involuntary commitment for psychiatric care? Was there any drug and alcohol treatment?"
"We haven't even taken the history on a patient that people are trying to diagnose," Murphy told The Hill.
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6 comments:
That's nice but lets undo Obama's screw ups.
Too many bad laws have been enacted in the past due to knee-jerk reactions...
Let's hope they don't do the same this time.
I think they can find a way to change the way the involuntary committment laws to keep those who pose a danger to themselves and others from getting treatment they need.There are laws to assist those with Alzheimers or dementia when they can no longer care for themselves.They changed laws due to the Sarah Foxwell incident. Obama's wife can make schools change their menus, the leading cause of the rise of childhood diabetes. New York state at least tries.When a young person has a genetic risk of a mental illness and starts with drinking and drugs it oftens spells psycotic episode, someone needs to intervene.Especially when they refuse to help themselves. Maryland law in our local hospital PRMC enforces the "they have the right to refuse treatment" even when a person is clearly not able to take care of themself, has been violent to family and property.These people did not ask to be born this way.
Crazy,huh.
I could not agree more than I do with 5:03. I had a step-sister who because of being allowed to "refuse treatment" spent much of her adult life either on the street or in later year as a ward of the state. Her father attempted everything he could think of to get her into a place that could diagnose and/or treat her condition, but was unable to get her help. Unless she was willing to admit that she needed help there was nothing the family could do. Fortunately, she was not a violent person so the only one she hurt was herself. I believe that is where we need to start. Change the laws to allow family members, school officials and/or police to direct these individuals (without their consent)toward the treatment they need. If that were possible, Loughner could never had accomplished the crimes he committed.
This is not something that I generally put out there for public consumption, but with this tragedy, I feel I need to speak.
I am one of those people that 5:03 speaks of. I have a mental illness that was diagnosed when I was an adult. I have been hospitalized twice for my depression. I have never been a danger to anyone but myself. I would never harm anyone, but I am all for people being compelled to seek treatment. I am lucky that I have family that helped me get help. If we made it easier for family and friends to help those that need it, and give empowerment to health professionals and the courts to compel people to stay to receive treatment and couseling, then maybe we could avoid some of the situations that occur like what happened in Arizona.
Just a thought.
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