Important information stemming from the shooting in Tucson
Rampages like the one in
Tucson that left six dead and 14 wounded, including Congresswoman Gabrielle
Giffords, occur far too often and violently illustrate that our mental health
system is not working.
Our hearts go out to all the
survivors, their families and the families of the deceased. That their deaths
and injuries could have been prevented only amplifies the heartbreak of these
losses.
The Treatment Advocacy Center
is actively broadcasting three critical messages that address the issues that
lead to these recurring tragedies. Visit our Home page for links to print, radio, TV and
other reports containing our messages.
Below are the messages we are
sharing. Please consider reinforcing our message by writing letters to the
editor of newspapers who are reporting the story in your community and to your
local and state lawmakers. Call for broken laws to be fixed, good laws to be
used, and tragedies to be prevented. Here are our key messages:
– TREATMENT
WORKS: Individuals with severe mental illnesses can and should be treated –
just as we treat individuals suffering from other medical issues.
– VIOLENCE
IS LINKED TO UNTREATED SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS: Individuals with severe mental
illnesses are no more violent than the general population – provided they are
being treated.
–
DANGEROUSNESS IS NOT THE ONLY STANDARD FOR INTERVENTION: Where dangerousness is
the standard, it needs to be broadened. Where it has been expanded already to
include “grave disability” or the “need for treatment,” these provisions need
to be invoked.
Let’s all work together for
treatment to replace tragedy.