I strongly agree with the recommendations for timely treatment and Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) for the seriously mentally ill in The Sun's recent editorial ("Mental illness and guns," Oct. 23). As creator of the first supervised housing program for chronically mentally ill adults in Baltimore County, I had many clients who previously were receiving no treatment and cycling between hospitals, jail,and homelessness.
Imagine you have a 24-year-old daughter with schizophrenia, delusional, living on the street, eating out of garbage cans and hearing voices telling her not to trust you or anyone else. She denies wanting to hurt anyone or herself so for years you cannot get treatment for her. Although she is gravely disabled, police and doctors have told you she does not meet the "dangerousness" standard for involuntary hospitalization. Her teeth are falling out, her body has sores and she is a victim of crime, even rape. Can you honestly tell me she knows or cares or can exercise her civil rights?
I have seen these people receive treatment and become functioning members of society. However, those with anosognosia, who do not understand they have an illness, and therefore do not accept voluntary treatment, need Involuntary hospitalization followed by AOT to recover.
It is up to society — you and me — to rescue those with anosognosia by assuring they get timely, extended treatment to enable recovery. Forty-six states have a gravely disabled standard for involuntary inpatient treatment. Forty-five states permit AOT. Don't you think it is time for Maryland to join the other states?
Arlene Saks-Martin, Randallstown