On behalf of all of us at National Alliance on Mental Illness SW Washington, thank you for the well-reasoned and timely explanation in the Aug. 11 editorial, “A lack of empathy,” of the recent state Supreme Court ruling requiring that the state face up to its obligations to those suffering from mental illness. It is puzzling that the state of Washington ranks so low on the rankings of psychiatric beds per capita, and we appreciate The Columbian’s support of our effort to get the mentally ill treatment and a safe place instead of incarceration in jail.
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center has an excellent crisis facility with only 12 beds and we are so grateful for that. Legacy and Kaiser do not offer such facilities in Southwest Washington. Elsewhere in the state, a mentally ill individual may spend weeks in the emergency room for lack of an appropriate alternative.
In the coming months and years, our expanded board of directors, Executive Director Peggy McCarthy and volunteers at NAMI SW WA will be addressing these challenges at the local and state level. We will also be informing Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, because important changes are also occurring at the federal level.
Ann T. Donnelly
Vancouver
