While I didn't choose to move to my Baltimore neighborhood because there was a group home for adults with mental illness nearby, it helped to "seal the deal." My daughter was being treated for mental illness, and I found some solace in the presence of this option for the care of people with this challenge. Twenty-four years later, this group home is still one of the best kept homes in the neighborhood.
As the parent of a daughter with a mental illness, and as a citizen, I need to place my behavior in a much broader context than consumerism. The very least I can do is advocate for providing the richness of community life to these vulnerable individuals and comfort to their loved ones concerned for their safety and well being.
Judy Mercier, Baltimore