Letter: Solution needed for mental health crisis in our community

I’m supporting Claude Oliver, a local citizen spearheading a group of concerned families seeking a solution to our mental health crisis.

My brother died in the Benton County jail. He needed help. Help that none of us could understand or do for him. The system and lack of genuine care for those with mental health issues baffles me. No one wants to put someone with mental health crises in the slammer, only to be released to re-offend.

People find it easy to hate people with substance issues, because that’s what they know. It has and is, however, considered a mental illness. Recycling them in the justice center does nothing but magnify and reinforce their own intrinsic negativity and self-hatred.

This issue in our community will not go away. Now with an epidemic of opioid and heroin use, the time to act is now — in fearless and compassionate ways, that offer support and successes for folks in this region. Empowering your local communities (such as our counties) to fight a national crisis is the most effective way to ensure the safety and well-being of all.

Claude’s voice is for those who can’t or aren’t ready to speak in this forum.

This story was originally published July 31, 2016 at 4:01 AM with the headline "Letter: Solution needed for mental health crisis in our community."