County Budget Debate

Re: “Public Safety Stance on Budget Defies Logic, Ignores Facts” Ventura County Perspective, June 18

Andrew B. Gustafson makes splendid arguments that the situation in Ventura County is self-inflicted, caused mainly by departmental rivalries. But I am wondering what the underlying reason is for this rivalry.

A long time ago, I was nursing student in Canada. The school I was attending was part of a state hospital. I clearly remember one lecture given by a psychiatrist who--besides being the director of the hospital--had studied psychiatry under Sigmund Freud.

“The most important aspect of psychiatry is to correctly diagnose a psychiatric patient. If the patient is correctly diagnosed, he will recover and become a healthy individual. On the other hand, if the diagnosis is faulty, the patient will regress.”

During my years as a mental health worker, I considered the statement by the Canadian psychiatrist rather superficial and outrageous and out of focus, but now--after reading the piece by Gustafson, I got new insight.

It seems to me that crime is going down in Ventura County but the number of criminals is increasing, according to Sheriff Bob Brooks and Dist. Atty. Michael Bradbury. Mental patients are diagnosed as criminal offenders in increased numbers and the net result is that they are “treated” by sheriffs and correctional officers. The bottom line is that Ventura County is losing lives, valuable time and millions of taxpayers’ dollars.

ADOLPH DONINS

Oxnard

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I must urge--against great odds, I know--that the Board of Supervisors find other ways to balance the budget than by cutting services to the most underserved population in our county.

The needs of children and adults who have mental illness are met by a variety of programs that are in fundamental ways connected and share support staffing. If staff is cut for juvenile services, then juveniles, including those who are in custody at the detention facility, will not be served. A great majority of the youthful offenders have mental health issues that need to be treated now.

We also have a large population of mentally ill adults who deserve better treatment. Many are left to struggle to survive on the streets and in run-down housing.

All this tragedy could be prevented if we as a society had the will to demand that our elected officials make tough budget decisions and support what is morally right and what helps people remain stable.

I ask the supervisors to take a closer look at administrative costs and the many inefficiencies found in all the other departments before turning to the department that is struggling to serve the most helpless in our county.

NANCY C. BORCHARD

Somis