The Norman Transcript

Editorials

Discussion

January 9, 2013

An effort on mental health

The Norman Transcript

NORMAN — In the wake of the Sandy Hook school shootings, buried in the hyperbolic effects of gun control or gun freedom, there initially was some talk about looking at mental health care in this country.

Finally, it appeared there would be a serious effort to address a long-neglected health concern in America, a concern that gets little attention from politicians or media — except in a negative way.

Sadly, rather than use this critical time for thoughtful review, national media and political leaders are positioning themselves on gun control issues that is a much easier pro-con, “them versus us” issue to debate and cover than the less sexy issue of mental health reform. Once again, tackling the “why” of a tragedy is getting lost on the “what” — addressing the symptom rather than the cause.

However, two lawmakers are trying to break from that herd mentality. U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and U.S. Rep. Richard Nugent, R-Fla., have co-authored a bill that will expand funding for crisis intervention teams, mental health courts and law enforcement training. Franken said although he heard a lot of people talk about mental health after the Newtown incident, “I felt it was unfortunately just kind of a talking point.”

Nugent is taking a different tack, saying it’s time to stop sending billions of dollars to foreign countries and use the money for the states to help fight against mental illness. “The federal government should not be running mental health care, but the feds should put money toward block granting states with achievable results to combat the root cause of these people killing each other,” he said.

Nugent said banning assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines is not the answer and is simply a cop-out.

Franken acknowledged that addressing the problem will cost in the short run but may save money in the long run. One area of savings would be with the criminal justice system, where mental illness has not been addressed for too long.

Nugent said our present system of dealing with mental health issues is unfair to people with mental concerns, to law enforcement officers and to taxpayers, who end up paying for higher incarceration costs and overcrowded jails.

—The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.

For local news and more, subscribe to The Norman Transcript Smart Edition, or our print edition.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Editorials
  • New faces on the bench

    Cleveland County is one step closer to getting another district judge. House members overwhelmingly approved the legislation moving a vacant seat from Seminole County in eastern Oklahoma to Cleveland County....

    May 24, 2013

  • The randomness of it all

    A drive through the fringe streets of the damaged areas in Moore and south Oklahoma City this week shows the randomness of Monday’s tornado. Homes that appear to have little or no damage stand next to ones that are ready to be pushed over....

    May 24, 2013

  • The Oklahoma standard

    The sight of hundreds of young student volunteers walking across Moore’s Fourth Street interstate overpass had to be uplifting to the city’s tornado victims. They carried rakes, brooms and trash bags. A few had children’s red wagons. There ...

    May 23, 2013

  • There’s no answer for ‘Why?’

    Just hours before, there was breakfast and laughter. Pictures were on the walls and memories were in every room. But in seconds, those joys of life were reduced to a concrete slab by a rage of nature that man will never fully understand....

    May 22, 2013

  • Moore’s amazing resilience

    Our hearts, already heavy from Sunday’s deadly tornado in far eastern Cleveland County, sunk even further Monday afternoon as we watched the tornado rip through Moore. The monster storm that hit Monday followed nearly the same path as the ...

    May 22, 2013

  • Relying on private prisons

    Oklahoma began contracting to place inmates in private prisons during Gov. Frank Keating’s administration in 1995. Today, more than 5,000, or 23 percent, of our inmates are in the custody of three private prisons....

    May 21, 2013

  • Thanks for warnings

    We can’t say there wasn’t enough warning this time around....

    May 21, 2013

  • Airline changes coming

    In the airlines business, time is money. American Airlines wants to try and speed up its boarding process. Passengers who travel with only a personal item such as a purse or a brief case can now get on first....

    May 19, 2013

  • SEC should act on conflicts

    Money talks. In the continuing dispute over the all-too-cozy relationship between the people who create and sell financial products and the people who rate their risk, the money says: Shut up and let us do what we want....

    May 19, 2013

  • We all deserve better

    The tough treatment of the Tea (Taxed Enough Already) party and other conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service is being assailed by leaders of both political parties....

    May 19, 2013