Sorry, Amelia, but there's plenty of blame to pass around on this issue. In Missouri, many mental-health facilities were shut down by then-Gov. John Ashcroft, triggering the release of hundreds of mentally ill patients. Liberals, in turn, insisted on trying to "mainstream" these patients, when many (if not most) needed continued hospitalization.
None of this, of course, diminishes my admiration for your screen name, which happens to be one of the most lyrical words in our language.