Legislators Pushing Forced Medication In Wake of CT School Shooting

Accused CT shooter, Adam Lanza

Politicians are pushing for more 'mental health treatment', in the aftermath of the CT Shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT.  As I had documented last week, the majority of these public mass murders, involve the accused killers either taking, or coming off of, 'psychiatric' drugs.  Regardless of how strong the connection between these prescription drugs, and mass murder, become, our public 'officials' continue to team-up with the mainstream media, who are both heavily financially influenced by pharmaceutical companies, to tell us that even MORE drugs, given out to MORE people, and directing MORE money to the pharmaceutical companies is the direction we should go in.

There is a number of public 'officials' now attempting to push a more aggressive mental health agenda, and here a few examples:

-  South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said Thursday that the state should be able to "detect it in schools", when speaking on mental health problems.

-  Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia issued a statement on the tragedy in Newtown, CT, saying "there is an incredible shortage of mental health providers across the country...this is yet another area where action is necessary."

-  A coalition of health "experts" have asked the federal government for new funds for mental health programs.   Psychologist Ron Manderscheid, with the National Association of Counties, leads the coalition, and claims "only about a third of the people who actually have a mental illness get any care."

"We need to balance individual rights with the needs of the community" - Tom Ridge

The most shocking headline came from a Fox News article posted on December 20, 2012, titled "Connecticut killings reopen debate on forcibly committing the mentally ill."  In this article, former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge tells Fox News, “It’s a cultural and mental health problem and it’s something we need to address soon and seriously...we need to balance individual rights with the needs of the community."

Ironically, a bill that makes it easier for the state to force medicate, and force institutionalize, citizens, was defeated earlier this year in Connecticut, which is causing some media outlets to report, "RECENTLY DEFEATED CONNECTICUT MENTAL HEALTH BILL MAY HAVE STOPPED FRIDAY'S SHOOTER."

That piece of legislation, Connecticut Senate Bill 452 (SB452), was opposed by many, including David McGuire, of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who called it an "infringement on patients privacy rights by dramatically expanding who can medicate individuals without their consent."  The bill was also criticized with such terms as "egregious", by some opponents that actually have a psychiatric illness.

So what was so bad about this bill?  Well first, under current law, individuals in Connecticut with psychiatric disabilities may not be medicated without their consent, unless they are being treated at a mental health facility.  This means that they must be in an inpatient at psychiatric hospital.  SB 452 expands the definition of facility to broadly include "any inpatient or outpatient hospital, clinic, skilled nursing facility, or other facility for the diagnosis, observation, and treatment of persons with psychiatric disabilities."

SB 452 also reduces the number of physicians required to involuntarily commit an individual, from 2, to 1.  Under current law, two impartial physicians must recommend that an individual with psychiatric disability be committed against his or her will.  If SB 452 was passed, it would have required the opinion of only one physician.

On December 18th, I reported how as a guest on CNN, Lise Van Susteren was pushing forced medication, saying, in response to the CT shooting, that what is needed is "legislation that allows people in authority, to do what must be done," when referring to people who don't want to take medication.  The whole segment seems like a commercial for the pharmaceutical companies, you should check it out yourself.  (link here)

You may be thinking, "I don't have a mental illness, so whether people are being force medicated or not, does not concern me", but you may be surprised to learn that either you, or someone in your family, probably fits the description of having a 'mental illness'.  According to the Fox News report and a study from the Children’s Services Working Group, "It’s estimated there are about 600,000 adults with mental illness in Connecticut, and 200,000 children that struggle with a diagnosable mental illness."

Think about what these numbers indicate, 600,000 adults, plus 200,000 children, are equal to 800,000 residents in Connecticut, that can potentially be labeled 'mentally ill'.  The population of Connecticut in 2011 was estimated to be 3,580,709.  That means that more than twenty percent (20%) of Connecticut, 1 in 5 people, are thought to have a mental illness.  

It may be you that is one day dragged away to a mental institution because you don't want to take your anti-depressants, that the state appointed psychologist prescribed you to take, for your 'anger'.

I will continue to watch for public officials, and legislation, that is pushing the agenda of forced medication and treatment.