News May 20, 2010 at 1:11 pm

Comments

1
I've been meaning to ask about the link between Keaton Otis shooting at the police and the budget for mental health.

The blogs here have said that, since Otis was mentally ill, we should have had programs in place that would have helped him instead of waiting until he tried to commit murder.

Do we have any evidence that shows Otis ever *sought* help? Did he try to get mental health help, and was turned down? Or couldn't find it? Did anyone contact anyone looking for help of any kind, before he started shooting?

If those answers are all 'no,' how would spending more money on mental health assistance have prevented the shooting? It seems like we could have had a billion-dollar outreach center, and Otis never would have walked through the door, and we'd still have had bullets flying.

And if those answers are all 'no,' are you just using Otis to support your own pet projects, when there's no logical or causal link?
2
@Reymont: Are you being deliberately stupid this afternoon?

If you read the statement by Otis' parents, he was diagnosed with this problem, and they say it was almost impossible to get him any help. There were "very few options." Their words.

But this isn't just about Campbell. It goes back to James Chasse in 2006. It goes back further than that, since the last crisis center was closed in 2001.

To describe mental health treatment and prevention as a "pet project" in any instance is an insult to Major League soccer, sewer revenue being used to kickstart bike plans, and of course, Jumptown, USA. Pet projects. Puh-lease.

Read this:

http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Se…
3
@Matt: We're not all paid to be familiar with the facts of the case and we still don't know, specifically, what venues his parents took in seeking help. I think it's an interesting point-- even with good mental health assistance programs in place, what can we do to ensure that the people that need those resources are going to know about them?
4
*If I'm being stupid here, it's totally accidental.
5
Great! That answers my questions, Matt. But...was I already supposed to know that? I think t.k. got it right - I didn't know, that's why I asked a reporter. Thanks for answering the question, anyway.

And yes, of course it's your pet project. It's a thing that you champion. You spoke at the city club about it, remember?
6
@tk @Reymont alright, alright. I resume my role as edutainer...you're right that we don't know what venues his parents took.

But I can assure you that Jack Collins, for example, walked in to Central Precinct days before he was shot, BEGGING for mental treatment. The officers sent him on his way, with a map to the Cascadia offices.

There's just no connectivity in the system, and nobody's being paid to have compassion. If you're mentally ill, you're lucky if you're in jail in this state. At least you made it in, off the street. But of course, when you're there, your benefits all get cut off, so good luck getting back on your feet when they ditch you on the steps at the conclusion of your sentence.
7
Terrific illustration, as usual. Kudos to Brett.
8
best cartoon ever!

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