In the months since the Sandy Hook shooting, the heartbreaking images
of tearful vigils have faded into a frightening look into the mind of
the shooter who was by all accounts an unstable young man, bringing more
attention to the need for mental health care.
"The reality is
that mentally ill people are not any more violent than the normal
population, but violence can occur if there is substance abuse, if they
are not on their medications, if they are not stable on their
medications," said the medical director of the Capital Area Human
Services District Dr. Aniedi Udofa.
Here in Baton Rouge, experts
say many people facing mental illness don't know about or don't have
access to the resources they need.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff says he sees firsthand the growing number of mentally ill people winding up in the system.
"We've
got to do more as a society; we've got to do more as a government to
address these issues before they get to these points. Do these people
really need to be incarcerated? No. But, there's no other place for them
to go," said Sheriff Sid Gautreaux.
"74 percent of individuals
that are incarcerated in a juvenile facility in our state have some
sort of diagnosable mental illness, 74 percent. 36 percent have
multiple mental illnesses," explained Baton Rouge Police Officer Sgt.
Tweety Anny.
Those illnesses could be anything from depression or substance abuse - to more serious conditions.
To stem the tide, these leaders are calling on the community to get involved.
"The
lack of positive role models, the negative things, that's what exists.
That's what they hear on a daily basis," said Gautreaux.
"How
can we solve this problem if families are not involved, if friends are
not involved? It is very important to check with your child. Try to
talk to them, talk to them gently. If they see any type of behavior
change it is a good thing to talk to your child, bring it to the
attention of someone who can help the child," said Udofa.
For more information on the many services offered by the Capital Area Human Services District, click here.
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