Letter: Look to alternatives for mental health crisis response

Graphic by Lori Deaton

[Regarding the letter, “Speak Out About What We Want From Police,” Nov. 18, Xpress]: On the basis of a 44-year career in nursing, the bulk of it in the field of mental health, I share this. Intervention in a situation involving a person in the midst of a psychotic episode is both frightening and dangerous. Those of us in the field are specifically trained in the areas of crisis management, de-escalation techniques and physical restraint.

With that reality, having an armed and untrained person involved is asking for trouble. And that doesn’t take into account the possibility of racial bias.

To expect the police person to arrive on the scene and “fix it” is both unrealistic and simplistic. Time to look to alternatives.

— Margot Kornfeld
Asheville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Letters
We want to hear from you! Send your letters and commentary to letters@mountainx.com

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.