Awakening to the headlines of Thursday’s Herald about Wednesday’s tragedy in Alger should remind all of us of the absence of adequate services for mentally ill individuals and their families. Of course, no one can know whether improved services and treatment would have prevented this horror, but we do know that mentally disabled persons and their families do not have such assistance available.
No matter what the future reveals about the whole story of what happened on Wednesday, the words of the mother of the accused should be a call to all of us: Her son was “desperately mentally ill” and she had tried repeatedly to get help for her son.
We have an opportunity to respond to this tragedy. The Snohomish County Council has before it at this time a proposal to increase by one-tenth of one percent the sales tax for the sole purpose of providing services to mentally ill and chemically dependent persons. The council will discuss this proposal at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the Jackson Board Room of the Drewel Building. Your County Council members welcome your comments.
In the face of tragedy, we frequently wring our hands and wish we could do something. This time we have the opportunity to respond positively and immediately to these deaths.
Bud Alkire
Executive Director
Everett Housing Authority
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