The worst mistake of his life

A recent article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette led to a powerful letter from Bill Shane, a former Pennsylvania legislator who called his work in passing the clear and present danger standard, “the worst mistake of his life.”

Pennsylvania’s treatment standard is one of the most restrictive in the nation, requiring an individual to first pose a clear and present danger before receiving necessary care. The result is countless tragedies, and a system that is unresponsive to many of the most severely ill, despite being one of the best funded in the nation. We stand in awe of Mr. Shane’s honesty, and hope his words will help spur needed reform.