- cross-posted to:
- health@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- health@lemmy.world
Mental health inequities are projected to cost the U.S. $14 trillion between now and 2040, according to a new study from the School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College and the Deloitte Health Equity Institute.
The analysis concluded that unaddressed mental health conditions create a significant economic burden for the country and that eliminating inequities in treatment could lead to significant savings on health care.
Reagan cut funding for California’s mental hospitals back when he was Governor. The result was a rise in homelessness and a ‘need’ for more police to protect property. It worked so well that he did the same when he became President.
It costs more to keep a person in jail than it does to send them to college.
Of note, the overwhelming majority of unhoused folks don’t have a psychiatric condition that would justify hospitalization. Someone with untreated schizophrenia running in the street and screaming is much more visible than the 20 other people sitting quietly out of the way suffering from PTSD or situational depression though, so I can see how you’d make that mistaken assumption.
Those are mental health conditions.
Blaming homelessness writ large on mental health conditions is false. Homelessness has many root causes, and most of them are socioeconomic.
Now you’re just splitting hairs.
I also talked about how college is cheaper than jail.
We’re both talking about the same thing; using expensive punishment instead of cheaper, more humane alternatives.