A heart attack and psychiatric crisis are equally deserving of treatment

When a child has a heart attack a hospital bed, doctors and treatment are a given. When a child is in a psychiatric crisis and in need of in-patient psychiatric services, better luck next-time, “you are not suicidal enough.”

We will not evolve as a nation until we research and treat psychiatric illnesses like any other illness. This is a call to action. I live in Michigan where thanks (but no thanks) to former Governor John Engler, we don’t have one long-term in-patient pediatric psychiatric unit. Not one in our entire state. So shame on Engler…but shame on every governor that followed this mean-spirited man as not one has even begun to rebuild psychiatric services for children and adults. And Rick Snyder is following suit and doing nothing.

(Written in response to “Is the Mental Health System Failing Troubled Kids?“)