USA Today (1/11) editorializes, “From a classroom at Virginia Tech to a strip mall in Tucson to a movie theater in Colorado, a common thread runs through many of the nation’s tragic mass murders: severe and untreated mental illness.” USA Today asserts, “Many states have become so strict that it is almost impossible to get people committed until they are in deep crisis, or try to commit suicide or harm someone. Just a third of the states permit commitment if a person could emotionally or psychologically harm themselves — a more sensible standard that allows earlier intervention.” According to USA Today, the shortage of psychiatric beds makes problems worse, and not enough community-based mental healthcare programs exist to help those in need of treatment.
