You have no idea how many of SMI people like these are out on the streets because of lack of funding to Mental Health Clinics.
My wife was a case manager in AZ for such a public clinic that would supervise such people. She lost her job because they had to cut staff because of lack of funds.
Remember the guy a couple years ago that killed a couple policemen and others in (I think it was) Tacoma Washington? He was homicidal and had been out on the streets.
We have a choice to make here. Either fund these places so these types can be kept an eye on or ignore them. Oh and BTW. These people are often quite intelligent and most are harmless. Yet when they are not supervised and quit taking their meds because they think they feel fine, they go off.
True. However, I don't think an Involuntary Commitment for Evaluation is affected by this as it is for a very short period of time. So far the evidence says that Loughner was never even in the system.
There is a lack of funding of public Mental Health facilities. However, I would imagine most, if not all, evaluations are done via private clinics who then bill the state. Another reason why Loughner would have been seen had an Involuntary Committal ever been done.
Let me throw you a curve. We all know there is no shortage of mental health facilities that are funded by private dollars to include insurance dollars. Loughner was, what, 22? If we even assume for a minute that his dad was unemployed, rumor is that his mom was a public employee. So the family had health insurance. Obamacare new rules say that junior should have been covered to age 26, student or not.
JUNIOR HAD INSURANCE!!