General Resources / Legal Resources / Medical
Resources / Briefing Papers / State Activity
Hospital Closures / Preventable
Tragedies / Press Room / Search
Our Site / Home
The Times Union (Albany, NY)
June 28 , 1999
Reprinted with permission of the author. All rights reserved.
By Suzanne K. Webdale Johnson, Kenmore
There has been much controversy surrounding recent tragedies involving mentally ill individuals who have performed horrific, violent and public acts. Kendra's Law is an essential first step to preventing future tragedies. This is a law that is needed now.
On Jan. 3, my sister, Kendra Ann Webdale, lost her life when she was pushed onto the tracks of an oncoming subway train by a mentally ill man. Horror stories like my sister's will continue to be repeated until Kendra's Law is passed.
Already, tragedies are continuing. These are tragedies that could have been prevented.
Gov. George Pataki and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver obviously agree, as they are negotiating to add New York as the 41st state to make assisted outpatient treatment a law. Both proposals are designed to assist in allowing the treatment of symptoms experienced by individuals who because of their brain illness may be incapable of understanding that they can put themselves and others at great risk. Very often the primary mode of treatment is medication. Medication that may not only protect them from criminal repercussions, but can greatly improve the quality of their lives and the safety of our communities.
I am aware of staggering statistics such as the fact that 20,000 homicides occur in the United States each year. That a common denominator has been established in at least 1,000 of these deaths is information we need to heed. This common denominator is severe mental illness, most often untreated. Severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are considered brain diseases, as Alzheimer's disease is a brain disease. These diseases need to be treated or the illness progressively gets worse.
I cannot turn back time to save my sister or any of the other innocent victims. However, as citizens of New York state, we can look at how these circumstances will be less likely to occur.
Two versions of Kendra's Law are being supported, one by Pataki and another by Silver. These need to be made into one carefully designed bill now. Both parties are in agreement regarding the need for such legislation. The time to put together a final product is now. This is the time to put aside political differences and focus on bringing about the changes needed to protect mentally ill persons and our communities now.
No one can dispute that my sister's civil rights went fatally unprotected. Kendra's Law will be a compassionate beginning, but essential, step toward the treatment many individuals are denied under the current law that is designed more to allow individuals a greater right to be sick than to lead productive lives. We do not need to have any more innocent victims for us to realize this bill is desperately needed to protect the rights of all citizens.