The only place that can't refuse to take you

“Prior to 2000, the Alabama Department of Corrections didn’t consider mental-health treatment part of our mission,” [said Corrections Commissioner Richard] Allen

Yet now that is a primary responsibility. The results have been pretty horrible.

Allen noted something stunning in his presentation to a legislative committee. Of the 25,000 people in Alabama's state prisons, 20% (5,000 people) need treatment. Yet

"4,400 of those people would be considered outpatients were they not also
convicted of crimes."

So if Alabama were using outpatient treatment to intervene BEFORE these people committed crimes, the number of people needing treatment behind bars would be reduced dramatically … to less than 3% of the prison population instead of 20%.

That would save not only lives, but money.

Allen said the state prison system budget will fall short by $31 million this
year, and the cost of treating mental illness has contributed to that.

A sad day...

Believing microwaves were aimed at his brain and that aliens were using wires and television to tap into his brain wasn’t enough to get Farron Barksdale treatment. But when he killed two police officers he thought were aliens, it was enough to get him a prison sentence of life without parole. It turns out it was a short sentence; Farron Barksdale died today.

Today is a sad day for the family of Farron Barksdale. It’s also a sorry reflection on our mental healthcare system and treatment laws. How long will we keep neglecting those who need treatment?