Our Health Policy Matters

I was sitting at my desk at Mental Health America when the news broke on Friday afternoon that a fifteen year old student at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington had opened fire in the school cafeteria, killing at least one other student before taking his own life as well. Another fourteen year old who was shot died over the weekend, bringing the death toll to three – all young teenagers. It is hard to know what to make of these kinds of tragedies, because we don’t really understand them.    The shooter, Jaylen Fryberg, was said to be popular and well-liked.  The victims – two of whom remain in critical condition – were his family and friends.  Some form of bullying may have been involved, but no one had any reason to believe that when he walked into school on Friday he intended anyone harm. In recent years, shootings – whether or not they are related to a mental illness in the shooter (and most frequently they are not) – have shone a bri...

I was sitting at my desk at Mental Health America when the news broke on Friday afternoon that a fifteen year old student at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington had opened fire in the school cafeteria, killing at least one other student before taking his own life as well. Another fourteen year old who was shot died over the weekend, bringing the death toll to three – all young teenagers. It is hard to know what to make of these kinds of tragedies, because we don’t really understand them.    The shooter, Jaylen Fryberg, was said to be popular and well-liked.  The victims – two of whom remain in critical condition – were his family and friends.  Some form of bullying may have been involved, but no one had any reason to believe that when he walked into school on Friday he intended anyone harm. In recent years, shootings – whether or not they are related to a mental illness in the shooter (and most frequently they are not) – have shone a bri...

By now, everyone has heard the news from Ferguson, Missouri.  An unarmed 18 year old named Michael Brown was shot and killed by a police officer.  Michael Brown was black. Some of the events surrounding the shooting are in dispute.  But what isn’t in dispute is that for the past two weeks, a community has been torn apart by race – a community that until recently was best known for its proximity to St. Louis and its designation as a Playful City, USA . Picture credit: Health Affairs Media reports since the August 9 th shooting have focused almost entirely on one angle – race relations.  We’ve heard about unrest in the city, the National Guard, police in riot gear, and danger in the streets.  We’ve heard about the District Attorney’s ties to law enforcement, and concerns that a too-white Grand Jury may be racially motivated not to indict the police officer involved in the deadly shooting. But the media have been strangely silent about a dif...

By now, everyone has heard the news from Ferguson, Missouri.  An unarmed 18 year old named Michael Brown was shot and killed by a police officer.  Michael Brown was black. Some of the events surrounding the shooting are in dispute.  But what isn’t in dispute is that for the past two weeks, a community has been torn apart by race – a community that until recently was best known for its proximity to St. Louis and its designation as a Playful City, USA . Picture credit: Health Affairs Media reports since the August 9 th shooting have focused almost entirely on one angle – race relations.  We’ve heard about unrest in the city, the National Guard, police in riot gear, and danger in the streets.  We’ve heard about the District Attorney’s ties to law enforcement, and concerns that a too-white Grand Jury may be racially motivated not to indict the police officer involved in the deadly shooting. But the media have been strangely silent about a dif...

Should all school children be screened for mental health? The evidence suggests that if we do not screen them, then we will be continuing a persistent and historical pattern of neglecting the mental health needs of our children.  But why let evidence get in the way of fear? Over the past several months, legislators in a number of states have considering mandating – or at least offering – mental health screening for all children, either in the schools or in pediatricians’ offices.  But when the Connecticut Legislature had a public hearing on a mental health screening bill recently, opponents came out in force .  One parent called mandatory screening an “unnecessary invasion.”  The Connecticut Civil Liberties Union argued that mental health screenings should be optional.  A treatment provider asserted that the problem wasn’t with a lack of assessment, but the lack of treatment options. And in recent days, a Palm Beach Post writer in Flor...

Should all school children be screened for mental health? The evidence suggests that if we do not screen them, then we will be continuing a persistent and historical pattern of neglecting the mental health needs of our children.  But why let evidence get in the way of fear? Over the past several months, legislators in a number of states have considering mandating – or at least offering – mental health screening for all children, either in the schools or in pediatricians’ offices.  But when the Connecticut Legislature had a public hearing on a mental health screening bill recently, opponents came out in force .  One parent called mandatory screening an “unnecessary invasion.”  The Connecticut Civil Liberties Union argued that mental health screenings should be optional.  A treatment provider asserted that the problem wasn’t with a lack of assessment, but the lack of treatment options. And in recent days, a Palm Beach Post writer in Flor...