As neuropsychologists, we applaud the recent focus on strengthening access to mental health care as a critical component of the national gun-safety conversation. Dementia syndromes, traumatic brain injury, severe depression, and psychosis are all brain conditions that can significantly affect an individual’s judgment. For some, access to guns can place them, and others, in danger, with heartbreaking results.
Years of budget and health insurance cutbacks leave many people with severe mental and cognitive disorders without sufficient supports or treatment. We appreciate recent Globe pieces highlighting the lack of parity between available mental health services and other medical services (“A list far too long,” Metro, Jan. 11) and the high rates of suicide when gun access is easy (“Who guns really kill,” Ideas, Jan. 20).
Comments
Ahah! At last we hear from someone that works with the cause of the deaths, behaviors. How refreshing.
Dear Globe: instead of the anti gun-frothing at the mouth-politician pandering for votes-I know nothing about guns, but I hate them, articles, you folks find some real professionals like this and do a series of articles?