Richmond Times-Dispatch
December 2, 2013
Editor:
The tragedy that
struck the Creigh Deeds family on November 19th is, in part, the
result of failed Virginia policy toward mental health. Both sides of the aisle
are to blame.
Following
the Virginia Tech massacre, state officials promised more money and more
emphasis on mental health. They kept their promise—for one year. Virginia now
spends less on mental health than it did on April 16, 2007. Governor
McDonnell’s policy of privatizing the state’s mental health care is an attack
on the most vulnerable segment of society, the portion of the population least
able to defend themselves—the mentally ill.
Privatization
is not advocated in order to improve health care. It is pursued to curry favor
with the far right wing of the political spectrum who want to minimize
government no matter what the cost—in this case, a human life.
Young
Austin Deeds was a victim of political machinations in Richmond. Politicians
who have backed cuts in mental health treatment and the privatization of the
state’s mental health care share part of the blame for the calamity that struck
the Deeds family.
David Cariens
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