I have worked with people in Central Louisiana State Hospital in Pineville, Louisiana. At the time, I worked with juveniles who had emotional problems as well as those with classical Mental Illness. The Adolescent Unit, was a bright airy building, staffed by people who cared. As I had total access and could (and did) drop in at any time, never did I find abuse or neglect. Being a state run facility, it was not driven by private insurance so the young men and women could stay until their issues were resolved. If it took a year or a year and a half, so be it. It was perhaps the finest facility of its type in the nation. Yes, it was funded by Louisiana and staffed by Louisiana employees.
I also spent time in the adult units. I found no abuse in CLSH. Frankly, to be a bit blunt, if a fellow or a lady has not worked with or within these facilities, alls one hears is what the popular press wants them to hear. The press is one of the most opinionated and biased type of organization in the free world.
Now, expensive, You bet ya. In this case, I would rather see my tax dollars go to help someone resolve his issues or recieve long term care for those issues that simply cannot be resolved. That would be opposed to seeing my money going towards the funeral expenses of a loved one murdered by a mentally ill individual walking loose on the streets
One final thought on expenses. It was determined by our benevolent 1980’s era government that private mental health hospitals could provide the services needed to treat mental illness. Private hospitals received their funding from insurance. Insurance provided mental health hospitalizations for no more than three weeks. When the money ran out, the only recourse the private hospitals could take was to write a prescription and cut the ill person loose. Of course,, they were referred to a doctor or counselor. However, there was no requirement or assurance that the individual would show up for the appointment.
Private hospitals provided excellent care. But three weeks of care to help an individual resolve a problem that could take as long as a year or more jsut does not cut it. Thus, people die to save money.
