Editorials / Opinion

A community has been devastated by the acts of a “madman” — a young perpetrator of violence with a history of emotional distress since childhood. Sheriff’s deputies found no evidence he met criteria for an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. He legally purchased the firearms used in the assaults. We are again reminded of inadequacies in our gun-control…

A woman looks at the bullet holes in the window of IV Deli Mark in Isla Vista, Calif. (JAE C. HONG / AP)

There will be many second-guessing the police response regarding their interview of the Santa Barbara shooter [“Frantic parents of shooting suspect raced to police — too late,” Nation & World, May 26]. The ability to convince others of their kindness and goodness is a hallmark of sociopathic behavior, and of many abusers.

Behind every potentially violent person there is

Brian M. Rosenthal’s story on mental health is welcome. It is also well timed as May is Mental Health Month [“Evaluators’ missed deadlines are forcing release of mental patients,” Local News, May 14]. The issue of inadequate capacity throughout public mental health is of longstanding duration. It was only a matter of time before demand for…

The law requiring prompt assessment of involuntarily committed patients is neither obscure nor a technicality [“Evaluators’ missed deadlines are freeing county mental patients,” Local News, May 10]. It is part of a very important right enshrined in the U.S. The Constitution requires the right of having the validity of one’s detention determined by habeas…

It’s past time to bring treating mental health out of the closet. Not far removed from most of us are family members, neighbors and fellow Americans whose health needs are shunned — hidden because of our ignorance and shame. As with any disability, its presence must first be recognized. Abe Bergman draws attention to the essential…

Patty Duke’s guest column was a brave and courageous piece that addresses some of the trauma that can affect mentally ill parents who abuse their children without meaning or wanting it [“Compassion and hope for parents who abuse,” Opinion, March 6]. Duke offers us not a justification, but an explanation. I can echo her…

The recent guest column on mental health [“How to achieve better mental health care for lower costs in Obamacare,” Opinion, Jan. 12] calls attention to an incredible opportunity the state has to create powerful change in the lives of our patients. As one of the community health clinics that has participated in the Mental…

We can create change through education and increased awareness

I want to commend The Seattle Times and columnist Jonathan Martin for a very thoughtful and powerful piece on peer bridgers. The column helped increase the public’s understanding of mental illness and the mental-health system’s shortcomings [“The rare mental-health fixers,” Opinion, Nov. 21].

We need more outpatient mental-health support to assist individuals with transitions and throughout their recovery journey. Peer bridgers provide such support and also reduce demand on an overburdened psychiatric inpatient system that leaves too many people with inadequate and inhumane care.

Ensure early diagnosis to prevent needless suffering In his column, Jonathan Martin wrote about correctional facilities trying to fill cracks caused by a broken mental-health system [“Mental health in prisons: It’s a crime,” Opinion, Oct. 19]. That’s not the way it should be. We as a society need to recognize that mental illness is a brain disease…

Lawmakers in Olympia must focus on mental health issues Kudos to Jonathan Martin for a great column on the issue of mental health in our state’s prisons [“Mental health in prisons: It’s a crime,” Opinion, Oct. 20]. The issue has been swept under the rug for far too long, and something needs to be done about it….