But I will say it can be extremely difficult for middle class parents to get help for a severely mentally ill teenager
The rich can afford to go through the commitment process, the poor get those servcess paid for by the gubmint with help of gubmint lawyers and social workers to force it to happen despite all the laws impeding parents from getting treatment for almost-adult choldren ...but middle class? Just try going thrugh this on your own, at your own expense....
A large mental health center here will admit as inpatient for 3 day max, all prepaid upfront - many insurances won't touch this type of illness or pay for a couple days or weeks at most- every 365 days. Many teenagers are strong, wily and resistant enough to challenge every aspect of the commitment process. Judges and social workers will sympathize with the kid not the parents and even blame the parents
With no guarantee of treatment success, parents can pay out of pocket for inpatient care - see how fast $1000+ per day out of pocket evaporates in trying to get a child diagnosed and treated for an illness that, factually, may never be cured or even controlled enough to permit release
in a society that is hostile and resistant to getting and keeping your child hospitalized unless and until they have engaged in actual mayhem
You don't know enough about my wife and I but we have raised 5 daughters. All are college and graduate school graduates. They have NEVER used drugs. They have never been arrested. They were NEVER asked to leave college because of mental instability. They all have responsible jobs in their communities. They were all raised in church, baptized and confirmed. They DON'T have satanic altars in their backyards, or hear voices in their heads, or give any of the multiple, myriad signs of mental insanity that this druggy/drunk cretin gave off. Of Course his parents knew he was unstable! You think they were blind for God's sake? Stop trying to be a goody-two-shoes and start laying the blame where it belongs! The Parents, the sheriff, the teachers, his associates,...all of whom could have STOPPED this tragedy!!!!!!!!!!! Wake up!