Before I give my answer to this question, I'd like to know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. If it's a good thing we need to come up with better procedures because these are way too time consuming. If bad, well, maybe we need to come up with better procedures because these are way too time consuming.

I don't think 'culling' can be called either good or bad--it may be 'good' for the herd, but it isn't 'good' for the culled.

Sometimes, I just want an 'end line' for a post. There are some people here who seem to believe that 'culling' the human herd would be a good thing, however. Nature has much faster procedures, through natural disasters, than leaving a woman to die in the waiting room of a public psychiatric hospital.

In the best of all possible, Dr. Pangloss, these things wouldn't happen, but we don't really live in the best of all possible world, do we?

Health care in the US is the pits. Government programs were established to help certain segments of the population: children, seniors, veterans and the poor. Since then, the Government has been slowly hacking away at those programs.

I agree with Helice. The health care providers in facilities such as this are over-worked and underpaid.

Does it need to be like this? That's all I was asking.

I don't know what the law requires in the state of NY for an officer of the peace to committ a person to a mental ward. In Cali, usually after 3 reports (many times after 1) by an individual or a family member complaining about that individual, the sheriff can remove him/ her from society if he seems to pose a danger to himself or others. That person is taken to a mental hospital facility and can be kept against his will for 72 hours. during that time, doctors can administer ANY drug he/she wants. These patients become unwilling participants in drug experiments.

What do you do the next time you feel suicidal? I'm not sure... I know I WOULDN'T CALL 911 or some community help line. I would establish a relationship with a good psyciatrist, one I could call anytime. If I felt a bit mental, I would see a psychiatrist and call her or him during a psyche breakdown... OR your loved ones can call. He she will most likely get you the proper help you need. Calling a hot line or police will only get you removed from society with uncaring speed.

I know this, because I have a loved one who has had mental health issues. He called a hotline and a dherif was sent to his home. The sherriff talked to him for some time and determined he would be ok...and left him alone. Several months later, he went to the emergency room with stomach cramps. The doctors suspected his mental conidtion (I guess it was on record) .... ignored him, left him in a bed, and called social services without his knowlege. He became concerned and he called "moi". When I arrived, I undersood the implications of the situation, and removed him from the hospital. I did this not without a fight with the doctors who were waiting for social services to arrive...and committ him!

On his release form was written "suicide risk" ... The doctors gave him a percursory physical exam and determined his condition was mental, because of his record, assigned him to mental health.

I called his psychiatrist and she warned him to call her in the future if for any reason he has to visit a hospital. She set up an appointment for him with a real doctor that afternoon..which after a day of tests it was determined his pains were from a hiatal hernia.

The entire mental health structure in the USA has to be over hauled! Starting first with educating professional health care workers. Starting first with proper bedside manners toward these patients and having a psychiatrist on staff immediatley available rather than calling "public" mental health services" to visit a private hospital. This can happen to anyone, from a poor urban black in NY to a wealthy caucasian in rural America. There is a stigma attached to being mentally ill and this must change;.

Has anyone really studied the corrent candidates proposals for health care in this country? I know McCain is proposing cuts in Medicare and I know that doctors are protesting those cuts. What's the best health plan offered by either candidate? Is it achievable? What could be done to make it better?

Liz, you will, I hope, forgive me if I do not take your word for it that McCain proposed such cuts. Do you have a reference to the specific proposal? That claim sounds a lot like the other alarmist claims about cuts when what was actually proposed was a smaller increase than some people desired...As far as health plans offered by candidates...I am not sure I support the idea of government funded health care except for governmental employees as part of a total compensation package. If the government must intrude into the realm of private health care I would propose limiting any such program to one where health care premiums by individuals and the businesses that employ them are treated as tax deductable.