To the Editor

Then, as is so often the case, catchinga person during that very small window of time when he or she is “a danger to himself or others”-and before hecivil liberties lawyers responsible for making it “virtually impossible to treat [people] with no insight into their illness truly tion. ness or theirmiss thefor treatment”is tolast 30 yearsor others are dead-is task with a disease myan overthat canof experiencedemnstitutionaliza-It is hopedthat after readingthe leadership Health ofmentalDr. Torof the and will need needThe real culprit is the unwillingof society to support adequate the tofluctuate dramatically hours. In our case, taking and people nightmare Sadly, we their just couldn’tin a matter of parents were in years, to my many worstfirst real vacation respondrey’s commentary, for Mental departmentsServices health who who D.care for the mentally ill, or perhaps failure of mental health advocates justify such care to legislators constituents. While I personallyenough.for theirand theircan be preparedfocus their efforts on those treatment, rather than those to prevent it.support civil com-100 percent ofthe time? because the many who dontJ. Jaffemitment in the circumstances described by Torrey and know consumer-survivors who do also, that is not the issue. There ment tions are currently options other could be avoided few viable treatthan involuntaryget treatment are usually outside the system, they rarely get counted in unnatural death statistics. I applaud Dr.M Jaffe is a s’pokespersonfor the Alliance for the Mentally Ill/Friends and Advocates ofthe Mentally ill in New York City.for his effortsill. Finally,in helping the someone is count-commitment. ternatives. ternatives,...