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Commentary: We need real help for the mentally ill

Prior Lake American - 12/31/2016

Where are we on issues of mental illness?

In the 1980s, it was determined that the state would shut down a number of the state hospitals for the mentally ill and address the issue of mental illness through community-based programming.

For some people with mental illness, this has worked very well, and I think we have in large part destigmatized mental illness. Many of us have friends and neighbors who suffer from some form of mental illness. As a society, we have done a much better job of understanding and accepting people who are mentally ill. Unfortunately, due to cuts in funding, short-stay treatment beds in many facilities are not available. Many of these people end up in county jails awaiting trial or sentencing due to a lack of psychiatric hospital beds.

On Friday, Dec. 23, my friend Richard Larson shot and killed his former wife and my friend Barb Larson, and then took his own life in Faribault, Minn. I've struggled trying to come to terms with this terrible event. I knew and liked both of these people separately. It became evident some time ago that they could no longer be married to each other, and they divorced.

Both Dick and Barb were active in the Faribault community. Dick worked with me at the police department and distinguished himself as a hardworking, community-minded officer. He rose to the rank of captain before retiring about 10 years ago.

Barb worked at the Chamber of Commerce and was involved in leading many committees and organizations. She was known and loved by many.

What did we miss? What signs of stress and mental illness led Dick to commit this horrific crime? Were there signs that we should have seen in Dick's behavior? Did Barb confide in friends and co-workers that she was concerned about Dick's behavior? There was obviously enough of a threat to prompt Barb to seek a restraining order.

If we know of friends, family or neighbors that are in crisis or suffering some type of mental illness, we must seek help for them. Many counties now have psychiatric social workers who can assist law enforcement in intervening and getting help for the mentally ill. We must also urge legislators to enact legislation to help fund more treatment beds for people to receive short-term hospitalization until they can be stabilized and medications monitored.

Jail cells are no place for the mentally ill.

Harry Algyer lives in the Prior Lake-Savage Area School District with his wife and college-aged daughter. He is involved with a number of volunteer groups in and around the area and is a retired police chief.