>>> THE SHOOTING MASSACRE AT MARJORY STONEHAM DOUGLASS HIGH
SCHOOL IN PARKLAND, FLORIDA, HAS BROUGHT MANY ISSUES TO THE
FOREFRONT, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH.
IN THE LAST SEVERAL MASS SHOOTINGS, THE MENTAL HEALTH OF
THE SUSPECTS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP AND ANALYZED.
CAROLEE MCGRATH SAT DOWN WITH DR.
BARRY SARVET, THE CHAIR OF THE PSYCHIATRY DEPARTMENT AT
BAYSTATE HEALTH, TO HEAR HIS TAKE ON THE FOCUS ON MENTAL
HEALTH WHEN IT COME TO THE ISSUE OF MASS SHOOTINGS.
>> EVERY ONE OF THESE CASES EXPOSES WEAKNESSES
IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM AND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALL
THE STORIES OF PEOPLE'S LIVES BEFORE THESE SHOOTINGS HAPPENED
INVOLVED IDENTIFYING WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE DEVELOPING
ABNORMALLY IN TERMS OF THEIR BUILDING UP OF ANGER,
RESENTMENT, RAGE.
THIS IS OFTEN BULLYING BEHIND THE SCENES.
THERE IS OFTEN PEOPLE BEING EXCLUDED AND STIGMATIZED AND
THEN THERE ARE DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES THAT ARE NOT BEING
RECOGNIZED.
HOWEVER, TREATING MENTAL ILLNESS MORE EFFECTIVELY IS NOT GOING TO
ELIMINATE THE RISK.
A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO COMMIT CRIMES ARE NOT
SUFFERING FROM AN IDENTIFIABLE PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS OR MENTAL
HEALTH CONDITION THAT THEY HAVE ABNORMALITIES IN THEIR
CHARACTER, IN THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT BUT
THAT IS NOT QUITE THE SAME AS HAVING A PSYCHIATRIC DISEASE
THAT CAN SIMPLY BE TREATED.
>> AND WE HAD TALKED ALSO AT THE VERY TOP OF THIS JUST IN
ARTICLES I READ IN RECENT DAYS THAT THOSE WHO TREAT PEOPLE WITH
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE ALMOST OFFENDED THAT MENTAL HEALTH HAS
BECOME THE REASON FOR THESE RAMPAGES AND THERE IS THIS
INCREASED STIGMA PUT ON THEM THAT COULD KEEP THEM FROM
SEEKING TREATMENT?
>> ABSOLUTELY AND I AM GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT POINT UP.
PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS ARE SEVERELY STIGMATIZED
AND IT NEEDS TO BE ARE REMEMBERED THAT THE VAST
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS DO NOT COMMIT CRIMES AND
ARE NOT VIOLENT.
THEY ARE SUFFERING INSIDE AND CARRYING A SIGNIFICANT BURDEN
AND THEY NEED COMPASSION AND CARE AND TREATMENT A OPPOSED TO
BEING BLAMED AND TREATED AS A THREAT.
>> IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, IS THERE A WAY TO STOP A KID WHO
IS STARTING TO HAVE THESE VIOLENT THOUGHTS?
FOR EXAMPLE, HAD A LANDAU, THERE WAS A WHOLE HISTORY THERE AND
THERE WAS A REPORT THAT HE WAS NOT BEING TREATED PROPERLY,
ASPERGER'S OR OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER AND MORE ON
WHAT HIS MOTHER DIDN'T DO.
ANOTHER ONE WALKED AWAY FROM A MENTAL HEALTH CENTER AND ALL
THESE THINGS WERE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES.
IF THE INTERVENTION HAPPENS, WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN A WAY TO
REVERSE THAT COURSE OR ARE SOME PEOPLE JUST GOING TO CARRY THESE
KINDS OF ACTS OUT?
>> THESE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US
TO ADDRESS AND THAT THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO DIVERT SOME OF THE
OUTCOMES IN TERMS OF THE MASS SHOOTINGS AND OUTBREAKS OF
VIOLENCE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE WITH ANY
KIND OF HEALTH CONDITION WHERE THERE ARE ISSUES OF PERSONAL
AUTONOMY, WE CAN'T FORCE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT IMMINENTLY DANGEROUS
OR AT RISK OF COMMITTING AN IMMINENT ACT OF VIOLENCE, WE
CAN'T FORCE THEM INTO TREATMENT AND EVEN WHEN WE DO, WE CAN'T
KEEP THEM IN TREATMENT FOR INDID HE HAVELY, IN--
INDID HE HAVELY AND WE CAN ONLY KEEP THEM INVOLUNTARY UNTIL THE
IMMEDIATE RISK IS PASSED AND THEN IT IS A MATTER OF THEIR OWN
AUTONOMY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL RECEIVE SERVICES.
>> HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THIS IF THEY ARE YOUR KIDS?
SO I AM A MOTHER, THERE ARE A LOST PARENT PROBABLY WATCHIG
THE SHOW, THERE IS A LOT OF ANXIETY WHEN THESE THINGS COME
UP AND YOU SEND THEM OFF TO SCHOOL AND HOPE FOR THE BEST
REALLY.
>> I THINK WE CAN REASSURE OUR CHILDREN THAT THE CHANCE OF
ANYTHING HAPPENING TO THEM IN TERMS OF THEIR SAFETY BEING
INDENTURED AT SCHOOL IS EXTREMELY MINUSCULE AND WE CAN'T
LIVE OUR LIVES IN SUCH A WAY THAT IS NORMAL IF WE TRY TO
PREVENT OURSELVES FROM BEING EXPOSED TO ANY RISK.
THAT SAID, I THINK THAT IN ORDER TO SUPPORT OUR KIDS, THAT WE
NEED TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO TALK.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST -- YOU KNOW, THE KIDS ARE
GOING TO BE ANXIOUS.
THEY NEED TO TALK ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS.
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN BELOW THE AGE OF 6, REALLY SHOULD NOT BE
EXPOSED TO KIND OF RAW NEWS COVERAGE OF THESE KINDS OF
THINGS.
BUT WHEN KIDS ARE OLDER, I THINK HAVING HONEST CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON, AT THE DINNER TABLE, AT HOME, WITH
PARENTS EXPRESSING THEIR FEELINGS, THEIR OPINIONS, THEIR
CONCERNS AND ENCOURAGE INKIDS TO EXPRESS THEIRS, PROMOTING
PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS WHERE THERE IS SHARING OF FEELINGS,
PROVIDING SUPPORTS AND SPACE FOR THOSE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS AND
REALLY LISTENING TO THE CHILDREN CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.