First, I recommend a comprehensive education campaign for the American public and the mental health community for the public to better understand the community when communicating how to be better understood.
The American public, which does not have medical training or experience, needs to know more about the conditions and symptoms about the mentally ill and their families because we do not know. This includes first responders, politicians, teachers, etc.
Next, we need national, state and local town halls to hear the mentally ill, with their families, say what challenges they face socially, professionally, economically, etc., and what solutions they think would work.
Finally, at the federal level, fund current and make more necessary programs, by way of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that will help the state and local governments with their mental health programs.
For the states and localities to maintain their mental health agencies, programs and funding, seek federal funding for outreach, counseling, treatment, research, etc.
This is at least a start.
Michael Villacres
Queens Village
