WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES OCTOBER 5, 2017 13
LETTERS AND COMMENTS OP-ED
NYC is failing our
mentally ill
BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN
NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS
Every one of us has a childhood
memory of being warned to stay
away from that person who talked
to himself or was seemingly unstable
but when we looked through our innocent
eyes into theirs we saw sadness and
confusion. These are our mentally ill.
They go by many names, including
Jane or John Doe, but they remain
members of our community.
Statistics show that 18 percent of
New York City’s population suff ers
from mental disorders. Approximately
239,000 New Yorkers suff er from
severe mental illness. The severely
mentally ill can be found in our jail
population, our hospitals and living
on our streets.
Many of the severely mentally ill are so
sick that they have no real appreciation of
their illness and therefore will not accept
voluntary treatment. Nearly half of these
individuals have not received mental
health treatment within the past year.
The current “early intervention” and
prevention programs for mental illness
falls short as many of the symptoms are
not recognized until much later in life
and oft entimes the cause is unknown.
For instance, men tend to develop
schizophrenia earlier than women, between
the ages of 16-25 while the onset for
women is closer to 30. These individuals
then are without diagnosis or treatment
for a significant amount of time.
While the mayor has committed to
spend $800 million on his Mental Health
plan (Thrive NYC), this plan targets the
highly functioning mentally ill, neglecting
the severely mentally ill who are the
cause of much of the public chaos and
crime. While the jail population has
decreased, the percentage of mentally
ill who are incarcerated has increased.
Incarceration does nothing to address
their need for treatment. It simply
detains their integration back into the
community still lacking the necessary
coping skills and mental health treatment
they need to prevent them from
doing harm to themselves or others.
Our seriously mentally ill need a
mayor committed to help them achieve
a better quality of life. As mayor, I will
address the needs of the seriously
mentally ill to reduce crime, violence
and quality-of-life infractions.
As mayor, I will create programs
that target the seriously mentally
ill and utilize Kendra’s Law to get
outpatient treatment for the seriously
mentally ill. In 1999, 29-year-old
schizophrenic Andrew Goldstein
pushed Kendra Webdale into the
path of an oncoming train. Kendra’s
Law was enacted to increase public
safety by allowing family, friends
and community members to petition
for an individual to receive mental
health treatment before they become
a “danger to themselves or others.”
Under this law, judges have the
ability to order someone with serious
illness and a history of non-compliance
leading to incarceration or needless
hospitalizations to be transferred to
mandated and monitored treatment.
The proper use of Kendra’s Law benefi
ts the individual, their family and
the community, reducing arrests by 83
percent, incarcerations by 87 percent,
homelessness by 74 percent and psychiatric
hospitalizations by 77 percent.
Targeting the serious mentally ill
for treatment is both humane and cost
eff ective. As mayor, I will focus mental
health treatment of the most seriously
mentally ill to provide an elevated
quality of life to everyone involved.
Nicole Malliotakis represents parts
of Staten Island and Brooklyn in the
New York State Assembly and is the
Republican nominee for mayor.
WORST.
PRESIDENT.
EVER?
People should stop criticizing President
Trump. Thanks to him we’ve
learned that Puerto Rico is an island,
and islands are surrounded by water,
big water, ocean water. We’ve also
learned from the president that Puerto
Ricans would rather drink from puddles
than help themselves.
That’s why while attending a golf
tournament in New Jersey, Trump
dedicated the “Presidents Cup” trophy
to the people of Puerto Rico. I wonder
if he’ll fi ll it with clean drinking water?
Warren G. Harding is widely considered
by modern day historians to
be the worst president ever. Everyone
should take note that modern day historians
are aware of who the president
is right now!
Robert LaRosa, Whitestone
HEARTFELT
THANKS
FOR A LOCAL
HOSPITAL
Let me fi rst state my reasons for my
praise for Northwell Health Hospital
in New Hyde Park. My wife Eva was
feeling confused, felt a numbness
in her right arm and had suff ered
memory problems.
Aft er seeing a local doctor we
were directed to the ER at Northwell
Health hospital in New Hyde Park,
which was formerly LIJ. She was
eventually diagnosed with having
a TIA, a mild stroke. What was
remarkable was the kindness and
the concern of the doctors, nurses,
health aides and volunteers. They
took us step by step with what had
to be done with the many tests that
were performed and put us somewhat
at ease.
I feel at this time that not enough
praise can be given to all the doctors,
nurses and health aids who go
the extra mile and show compassion
for all that are ill. I know this fi rst
hand due to my observations in
the ER. Let me say kudos to all at
Northwell Health for all that they
do extremely well. Thank you!
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,
Glen Oaks Village
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