Letter to the Editor, August 20, 2020: Lawmakers need to refund mental health – Richmond.com

Lawmakers need to fund mental health

Sheriff Karl Leonards excellent oped column on a practical pathway to defunding the police puts the call for change in much needed context. Addressing mental health and substance use problems up front through our community support systems diverts people from criminal justice involvement. Rather than criminalize mental illness, we should all support his call for 24/7 mental health and substance use treatment resources in the community.

Virginia lawmakers had taken steps towards more community treatment capacity during the last legislative session. They funded significant increases for our fragile public behavioral health system. Later frozen by the pandemics budget response, that funding must be restored during the special session this month.

The next health crisis will be a mental health one, and it has started already. A record number of Virginians are showing mental health concerns related to the pandemic. With our crisis services at capacity now, we cant afford to wait for prosperous times to provide more community resources for treatment, and we certainly shouldnt put that burden on law enforcement.

More here:
Letter to the Editor, August 20, 2020: Lawmakers need to refund mental health - Richmond.com