Jindal closed NOAH. He closed the ONLY public mental health facility in New Orleans.

[Are_grits_groceries]

<snip>
Jindal's plan was to transport patients, many in emergency crisis situations, an hour away by ambulance (over Lake Ponchartrain) to Southeast Hospital in Mandeville, LA. Besides the fact that that is absurd, now that hospital is slated to close! SO WHERE IS ANYONE TO BE TREATED?! It's a travesty.
<snip>
Our fears are that Jindal wants to sell both NOAH and Southeast (gorgeous buildings on prime property) to his cronies under "privatization".

Our latest battle has been that NOAH used to be the Marine dorms (it's in Uptown New Orleans on the River) and was sold by the US to the State of Louisiana WITH THE UNDERSTANDING IT WOULD BE USED AS A HOSPITAL UNTIL 2011!

If it isn't, ownership reverts back to the US Gov't. Obviously that is preferable to a "fire sale" of the property by Jindal. We are trying to use that as an incentive to let another State owned hospital run the facility to combat the need here.
<snip>
The non-sensical nature of NOAH's closing is even more disheartening because it wasn't about the money. Louisiana, just like many other parts of the country, is facing economic issues and we had to cut spending in places. In the legislature, we were able to allocate funding to keep NOAH open by still operating within our existing budget. As public spending was cut across the board 15% or so, we reduced NOAH by the same amount as other facilities. Yet, we kept it open to provide the vital resources it does.

What is sometimes lost in the discussion is that NOAH services low-income, medicaid patients, and it was established to treat adolescents, although adults were treated or evaluated there after Katrina because of lack of other facilities. These kids need to be close to their families, and the entire families need to be part of the counseling in order for the treatment to be productive. Most of these kids and families do not have the ability or the means to travel to 60 miles, across a long bridge. They can easily get to NOAH using public city transportation. Therefore, moving the services to the Northshore is like throwing all of the money away because the services need to be in New Orleans to be worthwhile. <...>

It is already being reported that our Parish Jail is now becoming the new mental health hospital.

http://thepoliticalcarnival.blogspot.com/

I can't think of a horrible enough name to call him.

[amyrose2712]

1. Sigh. nt

[old mark]

2. Republicans don't believe in the concept of mental health.

They have so little experience with it.
It's all about $$$$$$.

mark

[Happyhippychick]

3. That's because if they did, they would have to see how fucked up they are.

[graywarrior]

4. What?

They're all mental! They're in denial of it. Thinks it's a way of life.

[annabanana]

5. All those suffering people can just "walk it off" I suppose.

Republicans believe "It's all in their head, and if they had any intestinal fortitude they could just snap out of it."

[madrchsod]

6. your last two sentences are correct..

jails and prisons are the warehouses for the mentally ill. a politician is more electable when they are "tough on crime" instead of showing compassion for the mentally ill who commit crimes.

yes it`s almost impossible to describe someone who would do this. i have a few ideas but i`ll keep them to myself.