from The Oregonian
MENTALLY ILL ABANDONED BY STATE
The death of Joyce Staudenmaier is a tragedy for both her family and the officer who shot her. We will hear the results of inquiries about the shooting, but will there be an investigation into the real cause of her death?
In my opinion, her death reflects more the failure of our system of care than the bullet that killed her. Oregon has largely abandoned the mentally ill by not providing adequate resources.
Judges do not commit patients who meet the standards expressed in our statutes. Counties defend the limitations in care because of insufficient resources. The Legislature complains about the federal government and the bad economy.
Who, then, is going to step forward and stop the premature deaths of people with mental illness? Police shootings catch our attention, but suicide and premature death from medical illness are more costly.
It is time for the governor, the Legislature, county and city governments to accept responsibility and correct the tragic state of mental health care.
THOMAS E. HANSEN, M.D.
Psychiatrist
Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Associate professor
Oregon Health & Science University
Southwest Portland
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