Diminished capacity

Re “The harsh realities of mental illness,” Opinion, Dec. 29

Robert David Jaffee’s Op-Ed article depicts a story of hope -- one that is especially encouraging because we often hear only of the tragic consequences that befall individuals with severe mental illness, their families and society at large.

The failure to provide treatment to people suffering from mental illness is an often-overlooked cause of not only homelessness but of victimization, incarceration and death. For every 20 public psychiatric beds that existed in the U.S. in 1955, only one such bed existed in 2005.

Many individuals living on the street in California today will never be afforded the opportunity to get well because the law will not allow it and the services are scarce.

Assisted treatment often provides individuals an opportunity to be free from their psychosis and live productive, meaningful lives.

Kristina M. Ragosta

Arlington, Va.

The writer is legislative and policy counsel for the Treatment Advocacy Center.