Mental Health Agency

The merging of the mental health agency with the Public Social Services Agency is one of the most irresponsible decisions the Ventura County Board of Supervisors has ever made.

Supervisor John Flynn’s comparison of the restructuring with the rewiring of a building is absolutely apropos. But this building is already burning to the ground because of improper and hasty rewiring. Unlike a building in which the worst thing that could happen is material loss, the restructuring of the mental health agency involves lives of human beings. For supervisors Flynn, Kathy Long and Susan Lacey to carelessly risk even one life for one second to satisfy their personal agenda is unforgivable.

Mrs. Lacey said the new agency will focus on making the best use of resources for each of the folks in the system to reach their potential. Does she understand that the mentally ill will continue to relapse and recycle unless a miracle drug can be discovered to cure their illnesses, or they can never reach their potential? The only thing that can be done for these unfortunate citizens right now is to better the quality of their lives.

The Board of Supervisors should rescind this unfathomable, nauseating and unscrupulous act right now.

ROXANNE ROGERS, Thousand Oaks