Andrew Cuomo's New York State mental health commissioner has abandoned making serious mental illness a priority of the department, and instead turned it into a provider of social services for the 'worried-well'. As a result there are twice as many mentally ill in Riker's Island jail than in all NYS run psychiatric hospitals combined. Many more mentally ill are going homeless and becoming psychotic as a result of their inability to get care. Given what we now know about mental illness, this author suggests Andrew Cuomo eliminate the New York State Office of Mental Health and turn over important functions to the Department of Health. This would save money, improve care, and keep patients and public safer. The author is founder of Mental Illness Policy Org. |