I’m writing in response to “Social service liaisons aiding police” (Reading Eagle, April 13). The most helpful decision related to social services for mental health is automatically connecting a 911 call to Holcomb Mental Health Crisis.
A caretaker cannot help their sick patient, give a 911 intake, call Holcomb to be involved and assess and digest the trauma around them. An involuntary commitment to a hospital will always be necessary as long as psychiatric medicine is prescribed. Dangerous side effects may happen through no fault of the sick person such as antidepressant discontinuance syndrome.
The police should always support the family/caretaker and not think about gun rights or employment. The focus should be on the emergency. No agenda should be considered. This is the only way to prevent a total breakdown in communication and the parolee being returned to prison.
Dawn Koffke Houser
Hamburg