Post by sclcookie on May 31, 2006 2:03:46 GMT -5
Killings shine light on mental illness ---- Debate - Clark County deaths raise questions about how best to treat unstable, possibly violent people
A stranger is charged with stabbing a teenager at McDonald's.
A son allegedly beats his father with a hammer. A mother is accused of playing peek-a-boo with her toddler, then stabbing him.
Clark County has seen three homicides in less than a month at the hands of what officials say are mentally ill assailants.
The killings have exposed a long-standing conflict between the public and mental health advocates. One side is outraged at a system that allows people with a history of mental illness and violence to live free. The other defends laws that protect individual rights -- but still allow for involuntary mental health commitments.
"People don't live 18 years in a mental institution when they can live in the community, take their medication and lead normal lives," said Gregory Robinson, executive director of Columbia River Mental Health Services in Vancouver. "That's our system."
But it is unclear whether Clark County is seeing a long-term increase in violent acts by the mentally ill.
Lacking any reliable data, opinions vary. A Vancouver police lieutenant who organizes crisis intervention training sees an increase. A mental health professional doesn't, citing a static number of phone calls to a crisis line as evidence.
The killing of Anna Svidersky on April 20, the 1st of the 3, ignited public outrage more than the others.
David Barton Sullivan, a man with a history of mental illness and a registered sex offender, is accused of stabbing Svidersky, 17, while she was on a break at the McDonald's where she worked.
"We've heard from the public on this case," Clark County Prosecutor Art Curtis said.
"He doesn't deserve anything less than the death penalty. Make his sentence equal to what he did to her," wrote the author of a Web posting on a site dedicated to Svidersky.
Several Web sites are dedicated to mourning her death. One of them, created by a San Antonio resident, gives the e-mail address of the county prosecutor's office. Nearly 5,000 people have signed a Web petition calling for the death penalty in the case.
Sullivan, 28, is charged with 1st-degree murder. He has not entered a plea as he awaits a 15-day mental health evaluationat Western State Hospital near Tacoma.
Sullivan received his mental health care through Kaiser Permanente, which, through a spokesman, declined to comment.
Less than 2 weeks after Svidersky's death, Major S. Foster, 58, was found on the back porch of his Vancouver home, beaten to death. A bloody hammer was found next to the body.
His 36-year-old son, who had been under the care of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Portland, has been charged with 2d-degree murder and, like Sullivan, is awaiting a 15-day evaluation at the state hospital.
Eric Foster had been diagnosed as bipolar and paranoid schizophrenic, and had brain seizures, perhaps caused by a failed suicide attempt 10 years ago that left a bullet in his brain, family members said.
Family caregivers
And last week, Kelly Nicole Meining was accused of stabbing and killing her 20-month-old son, Bryce. She has told authorities she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was pregnant with the boy. She also has said she has an alcohol problem and has felt suicidal since she was a teenager.
In all 3 cases, friends or family members were left to oversee the care of the suspects. Three days before he died, Major Foster called an ambulance to the home he shared with his son, seeking emergency mental care for Eric Foster.
Often, critics say, family caregivers do not have the resources to adequately ensure that mentally ill people are not a danger to themselves or society.
"Crisis-oriented services are not available to people at critical times," said Ron Honberg, legal director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "The families are left to do the best they can under difficult circumstances."
While Oregon, Washington and other states have laws allowing involuntary commitment, critics say that isn't enough. Some cities and states have taken the next step -- adopting or considering laws that would force mentally ill people to take medication if a court decides they are potentially violent otherwise.
Civil liberties advocates strenuously oppose such laws, but Honberg said he can understand the motivation.
"I'm not sure we're protecting people's civil liberties by continuing to let (the mentally ill) spiral."
Public perceptions
Advocates for the mentally ill, however, emphasize the effectiveness of treatment -- as well as understanding.
"People who have recovered, like myself, have found empowerment is one of the most important parts of our recovery," said Daniel Fisher, a psychiatrist who is executive director of the National Empowerment Center in Lawrence, Mass.
The public has long misunderstood mental illness, advocates believe. They point out that the mentally are more often victims of violent crime than perpetrators, and that they're more likely to harm themselves than others.
"The media has destigmatized it," said Dr. Michael Bernstein, medical director for behavioral medicine at Southwest Washington Medical Center. "Public figures have come out and talked about their own mental health issues and those of close family members."
But Cheri Dolezal, deputy director for the Clark County Department of Community Services, wonders how far society really has advanced in the understanding of the mentally ill.
The 3 recent homicides -- particularly Svidersky's death -- prompted residents' phone calls to Dolezal, head of the county's behavioral health services.
The calls fell into 2 categories: "How could you let this happen?" and "Can't we just lock these people up?"
(source: The Oregonian)
A stranger is charged with stabbing a teenager at McDonald's.
A son allegedly beats his father with a hammer. A mother is accused of playing peek-a-boo with her toddler, then stabbing him.
Clark County has seen three homicides in less than a month at the hands of what officials say are mentally ill assailants.
The killings have exposed a long-standing conflict between the public and mental health advocates. One side is outraged at a system that allows people with a history of mental illness and violence to live free. The other defends laws that protect individual rights -- but still allow for involuntary mental health commitments.
"People don't live 18 years in a mental institution when they can live in the community, take their medication and lead normal lives," said Gregory Robinson, executive director of Columbia River Mental Health Services in Vancouver. "That's our system."
But it is unclear whether Clark County is seeing a long-term increase in violent acts by the mentally ill.
Lacking any reliable data, opinions vary. A Vancouver police lieutenant who organizes crisis intervention training sees an increase. A mental health professional doesn't, citing a static number of phone calls to a crisis line as evidence.
The killing of Anna Svidersky on April 20, the 1st of the 3, ignited public outrage more than the others.
David Barton Sullivan, a man with a history of mental illness and a registered sex offender, is accused of stabbing Svidersky, 17, while she was on a break at the McDonald's where she worked.
"We've heard from the public on this case," Clark County Prosecutor Art Curtis said.
"He doesn't deserve anything less than the death penalty. Make his sentence equal to what he did to her," wrote the author of a Web posting on a site dedicated to Svidersky.
Several Web sites are dedicated to mourning her death. One of them, created by a San Antonio resident, gives the e-mail address of the county prosecutor's office. Nearly 5,000 people have signed a Web petition calling for the death penalty in the case.
Sullivan, 28, is charged with 1st-degree murder. He has not entered a plea as he awaits a 15-day mental health evaluationat Western State Hospital near Tacoma.
Sullivan received his mental health care through Kaiser Permanente, which, through a spokesman, declined to comment.
Less than 2 weeks after Svidersky's death, Major S. Foster, 58, was found on the back porch of his Vancouver home, beaten to death. A bloody hammer was found next to the body.
His 36-year-old son, who had been under the care of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Portland, has been charged with 2d-degree murder and, like Sullivan, is awaiting a 15-day evaluation at the state hospital.
Eric Foster had been diagnosed as bipolar and paranoid schizophrenic, and had brain seizures, perhaps caused by a failed suicide attempt 10 years ago that left a bullet in his brain, family members said.
Family caregivers
And last week, Kelly Nicole Meining was accused of stabbing and killing her 20-month-old son, Bryce. She has told authorities she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was pregnant with the boy. She also has said she has an alcohol problem and has felt suicidal since she was a teenager.
In all 3 cases, friends or family members were left to oversee the care of the suspects. Three days before he died, Major Foster called an ambulance to the home he shared with his son, seeking emergency mental care for Eric Foster.
Often, critics say, family caregivers do not have the resources to adequately ensure that mentally ill people are not a danger to themselves or society.
"Crisis-oriented services are not available to people at critical times," said Ron Honberg, legal director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "The families are left to do the best they can under difficult circumstances."
While Oregon, Washington and other states have laws allowing involuntary commitment, critics say that isn't enough. Some cities and states have taken the next step -- adopting or considering laws that would force mentally ill people to take medication if a court decides they are potentially violent otherwise.
Civil liberties advocates strenuously oppose such laws, but Honberg said he can understand the motivation.
"I'm not sure we're protecting people's civil liberties by continuing to let (the mentally ill) spiral."
Public perceptions
Advocates for the mentally ill, however, emphasize the effectiveness of treatment -- as well as understanding.
"People who have recovered, like myself, have found empowerment is one of the most important parts of our recovery," said Daniel Fisher, a psychiatrist who is executive director of the National Empowerment Center in Lawrence, Mass.
The public has long misunderstood mental illness, advocates believe. They point out that the mentally are more often victims of violent crime than perpetrators, and that they're more likely to harm themselves than others.
"The media has destigmatized it," said Dr. Michael Bernstein, medical director for behavioral medicine at Southwest Washington Medical Center. "Public figures have come out and talked about their own mental health issues and those of close family members."
But Cheri Dolezal, deputy director for the Clark County Department of Community Services, wonders how far society really has advanced in the understanding of the mentally ill.
The 3 recent homicides -- particularly Svidersky's death -- prompted residents' phone calls to Dolezal, head of the county's behavioral health services.
The calls fell into 2 categories: "How could you let this happen?" and "Can't we just lock these people up?"
(source: The Oregonian)