Yeah, CA makes IL look good...and that's not saying much.

Trouble is, the pain is felt by people who don't seem to matter to the decision makers.

I was telling people on a mental health board today while we were talking about how the mentally ill often end up in jails or prisons how it's unfair to expect someone who's ill to take care of themself and be responsible for doing so when what's necessary for them to do so simply DOES NOT EXIST as is the case for many who have not just mental health disabilities, but to be honest really ANY type of disability that's lead them to being dependent upon public assistance of any sort or access to public health care. 

Still, the mentally ill were let out of institutions that while not really necessary for the vast majority and in all too many instances were very cruel and inhumane on what to this day remain JUST PROMISES of easily accessed Public Outpatient Mental Health Clinics - at least Public Health exists and if you've got Medicaid (or whatever it's called in your state) or Medicare and any other type of disability, you're likely to find SOMEONE to provide some sort of care.  Meanwhile, the mentally ill, IF they can find a mental health clinic all too often end up in clinics where the providers are so bad the care is not only substandard but it violates LAWS about professionalism and ethics - and no one cares.  I've endured a clinic where the providers violated THREE statutes of the RCW - and complaints to the licensing department would always eventually end up in the lap of the agency that was doing the violations...like that's going to do anything about it.

Meanwhile, states often start their health care cuts with mental health care.  Washington last year it was exposed that group homes - what few we had - were paid less per day PER HUMAN - than boarding kennels get per day per DOG.  No wonder they couldn't afford to stay open - yet I know from experience with my own Dad that some really do require this level of supervision to be able to be out on their own or they won't do basic things like shower and take meds.  This year what is WA doing?  They've cut Public Mental Health so badly that only those with Medicaid will be able to go next fiscal year.  If you have Medicare, Basic Health Plan of WA or are uninsured - you're out of luck unless you can find someone in private practice who'll see you.  Oh, and they're cutting funds to the State Hospitals and parts of Medicaid too.  Expect to see lots more of those disabled by mental illness going without treatment, winding up homeless and/or ending up in jails or prisons.

What is it going to take to reverse these sorts of trends?  Complaining in the international arena that it's a violation of human rights?  Going before the World Court?  Surely SOMETHING can be done.  Seems like lives and quality of life should be an important thing and more so than budgetary figures.  Then again, this is a good part of why I can't in good conscience vote Republican.