The parents of a 28-year-old New Richmond man who died in the St. Croix County Jail six months ago are accusing the county of wrongful death and are seeking $3 million in damages… his father has said his son's death should have and could have been prevented…
Hessler had battled mental illness, and his father had him committed to institutional care in 2000. With care and medication, Hessler's condition improved, and he was released. He had several run-ins with law enforcement in subsequent years.
The Treatment Advocacy Center (www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org) is a national nonprofit dedicated to eliminating barriers to the timely and effective treatment of severe mental illnesses. TAC promotes laws, policies, and practices for the delivery of psychiatric care and supports the development of innovative treatments for and research into the causes of severe and persistent psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Why counties need to care about treatment laws
A story in today’s St. Paul Pioneer Press serves as yet another reminder why counties need to support laws permitting timely and humane treatment for severe mental illnesses. As the story illustrates, failure to properly treat someone can result in huge liability issues for counties. The best way to avoid this? Ensure proper treatment.