Richard Anderson: Compelling reasons to implement Laura’s Law here
Re “Mom: Hands tied when trying to get mentally ill son help” (Front page, June 16): Ken Carlson’s moving story of Donna Yadron’s son relates a man with serious mental health problems, who hears voices and is a danger to himself. Yet he refuses to see a psychiatrist who might properly diagnose him and prescribe treatment. Such a person cannot be arrested and forced to get treatment due to section 5150 of the state’s Welfare and Institutions code: he did not harm anyone or himself-yet.
In the June 19 Opinions section, a letter writer (“Tell supervisors help for mentally ill is crucial”) the writer urges readers to use the www.surveymonkey.com/r/LauraLaw site to advise Stanislaus County supervisors to implement the state’s Laura’s Law. But first, please view Randall Hagar’s explanation of what Laura’s Law can do, and why we should adopt it: https://vimeo.com/216024166
Hagar spoke at the Modesto meeting of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in April. He was one of the original authors of California’s Laura’s Law, and is director of government affairs for the California Psychiatric Association.
Richard Anderson, Modesto
This story was originally published June 20, 2017 at 12:22 PM with the headline "Richard Anderson: Compelling reasons to implement Laura’s Law here."