Virginia to close pharmacy for the mentally ill

This is such a tragedy, but not unfamiliar. Frankly, I'm surprised Virginia had a program even this robust. If I recall correctly, the Clinton administration cut federal support for housing mentally ill patients, and the Bush Administration cut federal dollars for outpatient treatment and medication. This article makes it really clear that States can't continue these programs without federal support. Really: consider the impact this has on communities, especially urban ones

THIS IS INSANE WE CAN SPEND BILLIONS A DAY IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN BUT YET WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO KEEP A PHARMACY OPEN FOR THE MENTALLY ILL!!!

THIS SAYS ALOT ABOUT OUR VALUES.

We gotta start taking care of home base. Mental healthcare is needed especially in times like these.

Yeah , pick on those who cannot fight back . I guess children of poor families are next ....

Gee, yah think we could use some socialized medicine?

Isn't Virginia near where they had all those school shootings not too long ago?

this is almost the definition of a false economy. It saves more here but it is going to cost more in the long run.

At least some of the people the place was helping are not going to now be able to afford medication, and at least some of them are going to become dangerous. If even a few wind up in jail from it, it's going to wipe out all the cost savings. And there's probably going to be more than a few. Plus the added emergency room visits, deaths, people who can no longer work, etc..

Sometimes the point of a program is not to be socialist and nice, but to actually save money. If you're going to have to pay somehow eventually anyway, it makes more sense to pay a lot less now than a lot more later.

Suits me just fine, I've worked in a couple Assisted Living Facilities, and they (as most do) had several people highly over medicated. It's a racket, it makes all kinds of money for facilities and doctors but the whole system needs reformed. If several thousand "mentally ill" people in Virginia sober up enough to realize they aren't that fuct up, it will be a wonderful thing...

Might be the best thing they can do is to get them off of meds and towards a Holistic way of healing.http://en.epochtimes.com/news_images/2008-2-7-76479982-prison300.jpg

It's going to be 'Spooooky' when I'm being gang raped by mentally ill people traveling through Virginia!!!!!

See what I did there?

Hell yes, who wouldn't close a statewide pharmacy, which provides discount drugs to local mental health boards? It's a 'no brainer', being done by people with no hearts. It's gotta be easier than going after groups with powerful lobbyists. Heck yes, go after mentally ill people, it's not like their families don't already have enough to deal with.

My above comment is total sarcasm. Unfortunately the choices being made in Virginia are reality. Sad, sad, sad.

I work in a level 2 psych facility and I can easily tell you that this is indeed a poor decision on Virginia's part. For those of you made the comment "Maybe they'll realize they're not that fuct up" I have to say, woooooow what world are you living in? Over 90% of our homeless are seriously mentally ill, because they can not afford medication.The jail houses have a large population of mentally ill because, they can not afford their medications and they become violent. Some commit crimes because they know that in jail they'll at least receive something to help stabilize themselves. I work with the mentally ill population everyday and we work hard to teach them the need for their meds and hook them up in the community because we see them successful when they are on a good regimen. We see them go from aggressive, paranoid, and delusional to functioning members of society. Medication is a highly important part of treating a mental illness. Wise up Virginia, you did your state a total bad.

We can thank Ronald Reagan for the mentally ill, who are homeless. He closed many facilities, where they could live and put them on the streets. If they are going to be on the streets, shouldn't they at least be able to get their medicine?

Actually, our facility encourages a holistic approach in the true sense of the word. Medicine, is just one factor in the treatment. But it is a highly important one. Treating someone with counseling, spiritual treatment (as they choose it, not dictated) and generally treating them like they are....humans. Don't knock the holistic approach but make sure it is the correct meaning.

well, i hope the people who made this decision are still happy with it when their parents are losing their minds to alseimers and can't remember their name, or who they are.

Why does Virginia hates mentally challenged people?

Living in Virginia myself, I can this doesn't surprise me at all.

taking care of the mentally ill, now thats a waste of tax payer dollars.

Whats interesting is that a Democrat Governor did this, and were about to elect a Republican most likely, a highley conservative one at that. I expect Virginia to be back ont he right track in maybe.....10 years. Half of that time getting out of the mess McDonnel will create by cutting money to education in order to save the budget. What the hell is the point in saving the budget if your destroying one of the best public school systems (Virginia's) in the nation? The government is supposed to spend money. too many people get riled up when they hear the government is spending money. How about we get riled up when they spend it on the wrong thing instead.

Absolutely, HickerBocker09 'get riled up when they spend it on the wrong thing instead. Absolutely, Democrat, or Republican this is wrong? Unless I have missed their plan to make up for the loss? Just closing pharmacy for the mentally ill is abuse, just because they can. Mentally ill already have problems, their own government should not be adding to their problems and fears. That's just crazy and terribly sad. How low can we go? Cutting services for the mentally ill, should be a last resort, not before many others things are eliminated?

What a great way to save money. Good job dicks.

Thats it take away the mentaly ill peoples meds that will fix things Oh yea thats going to do all the good in the world just what we need BuBBa with out his prozac now I'm not going in the woods for damn sure.

Ughhhhhhhhhhhh