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Daytona Beach News-Journal

January 7, 2002

Reprinted with permission of the author. All rights reserved.

LETTER
Assisted treatment for mentally ill

The editorial regarding proposed changes to the Baker Act ("The Wrong Road: Mentally ill need help, not coercion," Dec. 31) makes several very good points. However, as chairman of a statewide task force on assisted treatment, I want to let readers know how Florida's community mental health providers view the issue. We are deeply concerned about our state's mental health system and our lack of funding for services such as outpatient counseling. However, we also see every day the consequences arising from people with serious mental illness who lack the insight to comply with treatment outside of an inpatient setting. Locally, many of these people are part of Act Corp.'s caseload and have access to the newest and best medications for their illness, as well as access to vocational, residential and other supportive services. A member of our task force who has schizophrenia said he -- and many of his fellow consumers -- wishes that he could have been ordered to accept these treatments years ago instead of having to suffer with his illness.

Assisted treatment is not the answer for everyone with serious mental illness, but used selectively based on sound clinical judgment, it can help people escape what one author has called the Bastille of their mental illness.

WAYNE DREGGORS

DeLand

Editor's note: Dreggors is president and CEO of ACT Corp., the leading mental-health provider for Volusia and Flagler counties.