Frank Dresser wrote:

"Mark S. Holden" wrote in message
...


As someone who has been a volunteer board member for a private non profit
mental health center for over 15 years this sounds like good news.

My primary concern is government programs tend to become bloated.

There will have to be a whole new mental health bureaucracy. Actually two,
as there would have to be both a private and federal ureaucracy. Are there
really enough trained professionals to seriously evaluate the mental health
of every American? And can they do it competently? If so, what penalty
should we give to people who refuse treatment? Criminal or civil penalties?

And how can we know if the diagnosis is correct and was made properly? How
will we guarantee the rights of Americans?


We test for hearing and vision problems in schools, we might as well test
for mental illness.

Vision and hearing tests are pretty objective. But three different experts
might say a given kid is hyperactive, has ADD or is just acting like a
normal boy. Alot of parents don't want their kids on such drugs as Ritalin.
I think they may very well have a point. Strangely, European kids seem to
have a much lower need for Ritalin supplements.

How do we deal with such parents who think they are acting in their own
child's interest? What penalty should be enforced?


Statistically, one out of ten teenagers will have a bout with mental
illness. Throughout your life, odds are one in four that you'll have at
least one mental health problem - even if it's just short term depression.

And most of us will be OK. Or maybe not, depending where the standards are
set. It gets a bit subjective.


One of the biggest problems with mental health care is the stigma of
mental illness makes people afraid to seek treatment.


Or, every time somebody acts a bit unusual, they haul him in for a
"Government Mental Health Evaluation". Hey, just like the Soviet Union!
Only here in the US, we can force the miscreant to pay for his evaluation
and treatment. And, if the courts are in a good mood, they won't have the
same Constitution hang-up they have with criminal procedures.

This proposal has a chance to reduce or eliminate that stigma.

The proposal is to screen every citizen. What about those who refuse
because they feel they should be left the hell alone as long as they aren't
bothering anyone or there's no compelling emergency? That's me. I'll
refuse when I get my Mental Health letter from Uncle Sam.

Frank Dresser

Hi Frank

I think this is getting blown out of proportion by critics.

I am concerned it could develop into a bloated program, but there is already a federal mental health program in place based on block grants. While it's a limited system, it does what it's supposed to do pretty well.

Mental health is already a growing industry - getting people who need help treatment sooner will make it more efficient.

I expect the mandatory part of this to be offering the tests to everyone. (Making them them available)

One benefit of this will be people will start to realize mental health is part of the big picture of health.

Depression screening might be included in schools much like hearing and vision tests are.

Here's an on line depression screening test:

http://www.depression-screening.org/screeningtest/screeningtest.htm

A google search will bring up others.

Depression is the most common form of mental illness, and while they're still learning, (as they are about just about every branch of medicine) they've got treatments that work pretty well. Part of the problem is many people who are depressed don't
realize they could be treated, or they're afraid the stigma of being treated would hurt them in the future. Consider what happened to Thomas Eagleton.

As for Ritalin, I'm not sure what the deal is in your neck of the woods, but around here, you can say "Thanks but no thanks" if they suggest Ritalin - and the consequences are if Finster is disruptive in class, you need to find an alternative treatment,
or they'll put him in a special class so he won't keep other students from learning, or you'll need to find a new school. Seems pretty reasonable to me.