Elliot Rodger, UCSB Shooter, Denied Treatment

Special broadcast hosted by Mary Neal, director of Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill. Call (347) 857-3293 to speak on air, or join us by computer at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/humanrightsdemand. We will discuss Elliot Rodger, 22, who killed six before committing suicide on Friday, May 23. Rodger's family reported his deteriorating mental health and threats of violence to police officials a month prior to Rodger's crisis, but their report was ignored. This avoidable tragedy occurred because America's mental heath care system deliberately awaits crimes before rendering psychiatric assistance in order to excuse more arrests of sick people. The same situation led to the death in November 2013 of Gus Deeds, 24, son of Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds. Avoidable deaths and arrests of mentally challenged people are consequences of criminalizing mental illness. 

Restrictions against involuntary commitment have helped nobody except prison investors - not taxpayers who pay over $80bilion per year to warehouse prisoners, 1.25 million of whom are mentally ill. Criminalizing mental illness does nothing to help community safety, which is continually compromised by withholding psychiatric treatment bofore or during crises. Withholding treatment until one PROVES (usually through violence) to be a "danger to self or others" certainly does not help restore sick people to wholesome lives. See Dog Justice for Mentally Ill blog for more information at http://DogJusticeforMentallyIll.blogspot.com .

The congressperson representing Santa Barbara and all congressional representatives should support H.R.3717 "Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act." Call-in and share your viewpoint.