State cannot afford to close mental health facilities

Dear Editor:

Last week the announcement was made that Taunton State Hospital would close its doors by the end of this calendar year. This is the most recent proposed closure of a state psychiatric facility on the South Shore/Metro-South area, with South Shore Mental Health Center in Quincy and Medfield State Hospital having already been closed over the past few years. More relevantly, perhaps, to the Canton community, it means that the mentally ill from this area will be hospitalized in Worcester — over an hour drive from friends, family, and loved ones.

The closure marks a continued serious erosion of vital, locally based services for some of the most vulnerable people in our community. It is well known that recovery from major mental illness is increased exponentially when family are involved in treatment. Needless to say, this will be much more difficult to accomplish when there is a great geographic distance.

Since about 10 percent of the general population is affected by a mental illness, this closure means that many individuals and families in our community will be adversely affected by this proposed closure. We have to ask ourselves, even in the economic times we find ourselves in, if balancing the state budget on the backs of the marginalized, the people already suffering greatly, and the poor is the way we want to represent ourselves as a society and a community. If you feel similarly, or if you or a loved one is affected by psychiatric illness, please let your opinion be known to the governor.

Respectfully Submitted,

Katherine E. Herzog

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=11430

Posted by Canton Citizen on Feb 8 2012. Filed under From One Citizen to Another, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.