California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill that makes it easier for authorities to compel treatment for people with mental illness or addiction issues. The proposal is partly aimed at addressing the state’s growing homelessness crisis.
In my experience force doesn’t work very well for actually treating people. It works well to protect society. And short holds can create a situation for someone needing help to seek it in the future (because they didn’t kill themselves or someone else.)
But as a means of getting people help that’s going to improve their mental capacity, it generally doesn’t help most people. It can help society and if it’s used as an alternative to prisons and jails, that’s an improvement.
My fear is that it will actually further stigmatize mental illness, and force people into the shadows. When using incentives could be a far superior option.
Plus, low income housing with a few staffed social workers is far cheaper for tax payers than prisons and jails.
I agree mostly with what you’re saying.
In my experience force doesn’t work very well for actually treating people. It works well to protect society. And short holds can create a situation for someone needing help to seek it in the future (because they didn’t kill themselves or someone else.)
But as a means of getting people help that’s going to improve their mental capacity, it generally doesn’t help most people. It can help society and if it’s used as an alternative to prisons and jails, that’s an improvement.
My fear is that it will actually further stigmatize mental illness, and force people into the shadows. When using incentives could be a far superior option.
Plus, low income housing with a few staffed social workers is far cheaper for tax payers than prisons and jails.