July 22, 2007

Strains on the ER

Letter to the editor
Boston Globe

I COMMEND the Globe for its report . There have been too many instances of people treated as criminals rather than as someone suffering from an illness. Recognizing the seriousness of these incidents, I have filed legislation that would require the Departments of Public Health and Mental Health, in consultation with mental health consumers and healthcare providers, to develop regulations for emergency rooms to ensure safe and effective treatment while protecting the dignity of individuals with psychiatric disorders.

The Globe cites many problems emergency rooms face, including limited resources, overcrowding, and lack of adequate training in treating the mentally ill. These problems need to be addressed. In the meantime, the state has a responsibility to make sure that all individuals seeking care are treated with dignity.

Representative RUTH B. BALSER
Boston
The writer, a Newton Democrat, cochairs the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse.