Mental health: There’s hope outside hospitals

Re: “Psychiatric hospital turned man away before his suicide,” (TNT, 8/10).

I cried when I read Matt Driscoll’s account of Kevan Carter Jr.’s tragic death. My heart breaks to think of the grief this young man’s parents feel, and of the loss to us all when a young person dies with so much potential unfulfilled.

The cruel truth is that there will never be enough psychiatric beds to deal with the crises inevitable when mental illness isn’t addressed proactively, and our current system severely limits proactive response to mental illness.

The good news is that the state Legislature has allocated funding for the most effective known model of proactive psychiatric rehabilitation facilities.

Evidence-based Clubhouse model centers use a “work-ordered day” to relieve toxic isolation and create healing communities of mutual respect proven to prevent mental health crises.

We can prevent future Kevan Carters, dear reader. Please find clubhouse-intl.org online and learn how to support proactive, cost-effective mental health care for our communities.

This story was originally published August 20, 2019 at 2:17 PM.