Friday, December 14, 2012

Mental Health Funding vs Gun Control

Like many of you I can't help but think about the mass shootings that have happened this week, two of them! One at a mall and one at an elementary school. So many people look at these incidents and think gun control is the obvious solution.

As a worker in the mental health field I beg to differ. Personally I go straight to the issue of mental health and people getting help when they need it. A person can be completely fine, for years. Then out of no where they can snap and kill dozens of people. The problem lies not when they buy the gun, but before they snap. When they need help but don't know how to ask.

A friend of mine and fellow health care worker posted this "we teach diet and exercise in schools, but nothing about coping skills, self monitoring and definitely nothing about seeking help. An educated individual and an educated public allows for less of the "slipping through the cracks"". She goes on to say that what should be a priority continues to suffer budget cuts and most people speaking up tend to be those working in the field. I have to say I agree completely.

Instead of focusing on the mental health of people we will continue to revert to gun control thinking that will solve our problems. Here is an article showing the cuts on funding, might be worth a glance.

http://www.nami.org/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm?ContentFileID=147763

And please join me in praying for the families in Newton. Obviously one young mans mental health status not only affected his family, but 26 others who no longer have their loved ones, and countless others who lived through this tragedy and may be forever scarred and affected by the events of today.

Jesus be near the broken hearted at this time.

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