Treating the Mentally Ill
* I support passage of Assembly Bill 1421 to amend the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, which bars doctors, judges and counselors from compelling seriously mentally ill people to be treated unless it can be proven they are a danger to themselves or others. As a physician in private practice, as a volunteer in clinics and homeless shelters, and as a concerned citizen I strongly recommend it.
Many of our homeless, vagrant population are mentally ill. They are unable to care for themselves and demean a society that should be more caring of the less fortunate.
Our public health organizations track, treat and sometimes detain those who are a danger to themselves and likely to contribute to the spread of disease. It is my opinion that we have a similar obligation to those who have mental illness and to the welfare of the community as a whole.
JOHN A. KING
Ojai
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