Show Preventing Mental Menial Explosions Is Americas America's Greatest Need By Stanley F F. F M. M D. D Director National Nation Institute of Mental Health Hulth Mental illness is Americas America's merica's No 1 health problem Alcoholism drug addiction marital strife and divorce racIal racial rac rac- ial lal tension economic instabilities instabilities Inadequate education urban urban ur ur- ban crowding violence in the streets all street all of these and other I mental h health alth problems like schizophrenia and depression touch every everyone one of us What is being done to solve these problems MORE MOR R RESEARCH S ARCH is U being beina encouraged and supported by federal state and local governments governments gov gov- and by private in In in- Programs to train more people to tackle mental health problems are underway Most s importantly y for the Jt bj s sick sick services serviced e are arC being im proved In fact a bold new approach called Community Mental Health Centers Center is becoming becoming be be- coming the nucleus of the national national na na- mental health program More than 50 SO million people live in areas to be served by some Centers Centers' all over the Us VS when they become f fully lly operational probably within the next year THE PERSON who needs help is the object of all aU this Who Is net her Lets Let look at a specific case Our man mah is 50 years e rs- rs old Lets Let's call can him bins Henry Henry- H Ile He very well be your our next door neighbor except that he be has killed I a 8 man lan f for foe r no apparent reason Was Was he a If vicious beast beastall beastall beastall all all' along Henry history shows differently differently differ differ- j He had been Ii a good provider pro pro- v vider d r a 8 well liked d neighbor and dh hid had d worked 30 years years' forthe for forthe forthe the same company Henry Henry had hd been married 32 years carrier when he was 18 One day his wife left him never to return Henry tried to keep his family of three children together But they eventually also left him ON THE THE surface Henry has hasheM nas heM been be bearing all aU this calmly almly But Dut then he loses his house one pf his most prized remainIng remainIng remaining remain- remain Ing possessions Too he is replaced replaced re reo placed in his job by bt a younger man This is the thin thing I that finally pushes bibs over the edge That hat night in a a. a tavern he kilts kilns a man who makes a harmless harm hirm- less joke HENRYS HENRY'S tragic story stony is true There are too many Henrys as we all know in every community and neighborhood neighborhood neighborhood neigh neigh- of this country today We are just coming to realize the ro root t causes causes' of their dis dis- tress We We Weare are just beginning lg to see that Henrys Henry's troubles troubles- and Indeed all 11 our deep social problems problems must must be attacked prior to the time that they explode In crisis Henrys Henry's crisis didn't didn t just happen It was was the end result of a l long hog lg chain of unfortunate ate circumstances The mental health center ceo help belp break this chain of stress that encircles encircles encircles cles individual members of a community like Henry NOT OT o ONLY i will the centers and hospital s services services they are tied in with willi provide help for extreme cases centers cases centers will also aleo provide a complete program program program pro pro- gram gram of essential services such care care partial hospitalization consultation and education and emergency services |