THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT SOLUTION TO NYC MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT SOLUTION TO MENTAL ILLNESS

By: Derek Varsalona

Jesus tells people to love one another.   That is the truth when it comes to dealing with mental illness in our society.   But there is no government solution when it comes to taking care of the mentally ill in society.   Many of the mentally ill within society are unfortunately thrown to the streets to fend for themselves.  The fact of the matter is that it is the wrong approach.

I am also not a big advocate for hospitalization of the mentally ill.   The problem with crime in New York City is that we have too many mentally ill people roaming the streets and fending for themselves.  Often these people must commit crimes to earn a living since they can not survive in a real-world office or store setting for work.

But the government is not going to solve the mental health crisis in the greatest city in the world in NYC.  We must follow the John Lennon and The Beatles approach: all you need is love.  We must also follow the Come to Jesus moment of loving one another as he has loved us.

Most people who are homeless have mental health issues that go untreated.  That means they are left to the streets.  But institutionalizing these people is the wrong approach.  Locking people in a mental institution is not going to solve their problem of addiction and homelessness.   These people have the right to sleep where they want even if that means the streets and with that they have the right to keep and bear arms.  

When it comes to being addicted to drugs I call for the legalization of all drugs now.  If we legalize all drugs, homeless people who are addicts will have a more positive experience trying to get the help they desperately need.  The reason why these people do not get the help that they need is because they fear the government henchmen and the police are going to come and lock them up.  The mentally ill do not need to be locked up in jails or institutions.  What they need is a loving home.

Some choose to make the streets their home.  That is their right to do so.  It is not the government's responsibility to Sweep the streets of the mentally ill because they homeless is unsightly.  The fact of the matter is the government wants to sweep the streets because of the economic value of tourism.  Most tourists are not going to want to go to a drug-invested area.

The answer to solving mental illness in this country is not simple.  But one simple solution is to not lock the mentally ill up in jails and hospitals but give them unconditional love and moral support.  As always comments accepted.

Love will stop Substance Abuse

Source:   Assemblyman Tony Simone. NYS Assembly. "SUMNY: Assembling Resources to Address Substance Use Disorder, Unhoused Population and Mental Illness." Albany, NY: January 7, 2025. https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Tony-Simone/story/112662