Most people, when thinking about survival situations, tend to associate "mentally ill" with violent, crazy people. In reality, many of the mentally ill suffer from a whole array of disorders, many of which are not violent at all. In such cases we don't need to worry about ourselves as much as about them. The software problem diminishes the survival chances of these patients. Imagine a clinically depressed man in a disaster. It would be even more of a challenge for him to get through it, on top of the emotional hammering that he gets every second. If we have the energy to help others, we may be able to help such people by identifying them and by giving them hope. Instead of thinking, "Man, this guy is just a demoralization machine and he doesn't want to do anything to help himself," try and realize it's his illness talking. Light cases may need a bit of understanding, sympathy, and encouragement. Sever cases may need really direct intervention.

I hate having to say this, because all the police officers I know personally are outstanding men who entered their profession out of a sincere desire to protect the citizenry, but as for the Fullerton police scandal, I do not think MHFA training would have made a difference. All reports indicate that the police officers deliberately beat the man to death, disgracing their uniform. Why? Because he was a vagrant that nobody cared about, or at least not until he got on Youtube. This seems like an issue separate from what we're talking about. If we want to make it relevant: maybe MHFA could help the officers' colleagues figure out that they need some therapy before they can serve and protect us civilians.

DB