Mental health advocates vow to be vocal

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - As the nation mourns the loss of so many young lives leaders from the President on down are calling on mental health experts to speak up about what is needed to treat those suffering from mental illness.

Members of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, known as NAMI, are quick to point out that we are still learning about the health of the gunman.  However, this coming weekend NAMI's state board members will join in a teleconference to compile questions and suggestions they can take to the Governor to better serve the mentally ill in Ohio.

Michelle Schaffer cautions us not to make blanket statements about the mentally ill. Schaffer oversees a program that serves hundreds of children a year who need help coping with the everyday. More than a dozen created a colorful banner that is now taken to conferences.  The kids got to express themselves through art.

Schaffer told 2 NEWS, "We try to teach them when they are angry or when they have issues with other people how to deal with that appropriately without using violence.  We have to talk about the hard things like guns and violence to help them understand the rules of society and how much we care for them and how much we want to see them succeed and how much we would like them to make positive choices."

Schaffer works at South Community in Kettering. The Chief of Recovery Services at the mental health agency, Lee Dunham, said there is more help available in Montgomery County than in other counties because of the human services levy in Montgomery County.

"I think Ohio and Ohio is doing better than a number of states but I would like to see consistency of services available throughout the counties," Dunham said.

In addition to being Chief of Recovery Services at South Community, Dunham serves on the state board of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

He told 2 NEWS there's an urgent need for housing, homeless shelters are not the answer, but he's encouraged by Governor Kasich's commitment thus far.

"People need to know treatment works. People recover," said Dunham.

NAMI says keep in mind those who suffer from mental illness are more often victims of violence than perpetrators.  The group adds that one in four Ohio families has someone with mental illness.

The state provides this toll-free bridge line 1-877-275-6364 for you to get referrals and information.