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Letter to the editor: Better access needed for the mentally ill

Tulsa World - 6/25/2017

There is not only the tragedy of Joshua Barre's death but also the tragedy that his life had deteriorated to the point that law enforcement officers were sent to confront him, place him in a patrol car, and transport him like they would a criminal when his primary offense was to be ill ("Man shot by officers in Tulsa was off medication, family says," June 10).

The pick-up order meant someone was trying to do something, only far too late. In order for the situation to deteriorate to that point, there was inadequate early intervention to meet his needs. Middle- and low-income people and their families already are stretched financially to provide the essentials and often are unable to access the needed medical care or to pay for the very expensive prescriptions needed for effective treatment.

The Tulsa area does not now have sufficient resources to meet the needs of all requiring services. Even highly educated people in positions responsible for assisting others do not understand the daily challenges faced by the mentally ill.

The best way to honor Barre's life is not to attack those who were trying to help him but to mobilize to inform the community about mental illness and make it a priority. No others in Tulsa needing help should ever be in the confrontational situation of a pickup order by law enforcement because they have not been able to access medical and social services essential to their ability to function.

Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com.