CRISIS: Center for humanity

Kootenai County is in the midst of an expensive humanitarian disaster, but help is on the way. Currently, those who are in mental health crisis are being warehoused in our jails at taxpayer expense. This practice is more expensive than providing proper treatment, provides terrible outcomes for society by criminalizing vulnerable people and introducing them to a criminal social network, and above all, it is manifestly inhumane. But, when law enforcement is called because someone is acting outside the norms of our society, there is no other option for protection of the public. Until now.

Now, we have the means for change. Now, we have a center for those who are vulnerable to mental illness but don’t have the access to resources to help them be successful. Now we have a regional awareness and an effort involving the health care community, law enforcement, politicians and the state, cities and counties. We have the North Idaho Crisis Center, where law enforcement and families of those in mental health crisis can take our neighbors in need, and where those who understand they need help can go to find the help they require to manage and join us safely on our streets. Now, we can stop criminalizing the vulnerable. Now we can treat our neighbors like humans. Now we can stop burning taxpayer cash on a dark secret. The North Idaho Crisis Center opens in December.

LUKE MALEK

Coeur d’Alene