Loughner and How the Mental-Health System Doesn’t Work

I knew that once the media had exhausted the meme of "angry political right wing talkers and Fox" inflaming a disturbed man who turned out to be a threat to society who was known to police, and also a-political, they'd start in on the mental health system. Probably to try to boost Obamacare. But unfortunately for Newsweek, NYT and WaPo plus their wannabees like HuffPo, Loughner's family could afford care. Nothing was stopping care, except the concern for the civil rights and freedoms of the mentally ill of the last three decades. He is legally an adult; his problems were known to his family, his friends, his college teachers and to Sheriff Dupnik who attempted to shift the blame where there was nothing. Nothing mentioned in this article about inaccessibility or lack of services remotely applies to Loughner. Pima County has a mobile psychiatric unit that anyone—patient, family, acquaintance—can call on a 24-hour hotline and that will send a professional to evaluate or provide counseling to someone who seems troubled. But Loughner is an adult; he can refuse services, and the law protects that right. So they are wrong again--about his case. There well may be a shortage of beds, and state budgets may be strained, but none of that applies in this case and the media is still looking for someone or something to blame.

Loughner and How the Mental-Health System Doesn’t Work - Newsweek