Linda Mayo: Instead of walking out, pass a law to help mentally ill

Re “Why I walked out of moment of silence” (Page 3B, June 16): How many times is it honorable to “honor” the victims of horrific deaths and their families? I guess it’s a little less than “umpteenth.” Instead of dishonoring them by walking out, why not use your legislative power to author and support legislation that would provide a mechanism for involuntary treatment or hospitalization and medication for those with a severe mental illness who are gravely disabled? How about supporting measures that would help instead of insisting on including gun control?

As a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and a mother of two severely disabled adult children with schizophrenia, I would be elated to call someone who would take them into a hospital and treat them. Being gravely disabled, they do not have the mental capacity to believe they are delusional and/or psychotic and do not need treatment, hospitalization or medication.

Why can’t doctors, psychiatrists, family members and courts make that decision when they are incapacitated due to their illness? So please, for the sake of the afflicted, their loved ones and society, pass a law to do something about this! And don’t walk out on a moment of silence respecting those whose lives were lost because you didn’t!

This story was originally published June 23, 2016 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Linda Mayo: Instead of walking out, pass a law to help mentally ill."