Friday, March 18, 2005 | 9:28 a.m.
The mentally ill are probably one of the most overlooked segments of our society. They are in need of proper medical treatment. Nevada has the highest rate of mental illness in the West, according to a recent study. The mentally ill, many of whom are homeless, clog hospital emergency rooms because there is just no other place for them to go. This situation makes it extremely difficult for those who need immediate attention for physical problems to be treated.
The problem is not that there are mentally ill people. The problem is that our society does not treat mental illness as seriously as other health issues. Do not blame the victim for being the problem. Mental illness affects not just the individual but also families, friends and society in general.
We must not try to sweep this health issue under the rug. We should meet this problem by fully funding services for the mentally ill. We should not scale back plans for a new psychiatric hospital. Instead, we should support Democratic plans to establish multiple triage centers where potential patients can be diagnosed and treated by trained mental health professionals.
We need to fully fund these programs. This is an investment we cannot afford not to make. Once properly treated, most mentally ill people go on to be productive citizens who contribute positively to society.
JOHN HAMILTON
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