[gracielove]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

There are so many kids and adults on drugs and eating up so much of the resources for mental health, people like this often fall through the cracks and believe me, there are those like this out there all over the place! Hopefully, someone in the PD asked social services to follow up with the man but the social workers are so busy with druggies and their issues which are usually violence-related in order to get $$$, that they may be 2 mos. behind and then, if he's not home or doesn't answer the phone, it may take another month before a letter gets to him to call. If he doesn't open all his mail or ignores it, nothing will probably happen if a f/u letter is sent.

But with so many Americans using funds related to their love of drugs and gangs, resources are directed to urban areas to try to house, rehab and process those folks through the system as they wreak so much havoc on society when out of control. This old man with his dog becomes just an afterthought and he'll probably get dropped off the radar awfully soon unless someone in the community steps up. Even if he has a family that is interested and pursues it, if they haven't the funds to get him in a Nursing Home or a highly-prized Medicaid bed(waits in some facilities are over a year and in others, 3 months but you wouldn't want you dog in those with soon-ready Caid beds - believe me) becomes available and he's been adjudged mentally incompetent by a judge, there is no program for him in most cases and no follow up. All of our $$$ goes for drug-related court-appointed lawyers/jail costs/housing/medical care and drugs/rehab/housing and out-patient work programs for them and the elderly and the comparatively "minor" things they do that don't involve guns and mayhem are uncared for. There is just no money for a man like this so often. If his county is running low on funds, he'll likely be left to what his family can get done. If it's just him and his elderly wife and she is not able to get him help, he's out there on his own most likely. And I hope they can't get access to another dog.

By law noting can be done for a mental patient unless the patient goes to a medical professional of some kind and says they are thinking of harming themselves or someone else. Even then it can be difficult if the patient is not willing to be admitted. Also as you mentioned there is the financial issue. Many facilities have had to cut back and some even closed down. I have seen many families trying to work through the system to get their family member help and it is a very trying task to say the least. A lot depends on how much priority each area gives to the problem. Many times when cuts are made mental health is often one of the first to go. But the laws make it difficult for even the areas that do have good services.