This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.
Intervention was needed
Frontier Behavioral Health Chief Executive Officer Jeff Thomas said (Aug. 31) there isn’t much anyone can do to force someone to take medications if they’re not a danger to themselves or others. A decent therapist should be able to tell, regardless of how vague and evasive the patient, if a client is a danger to themselves and/or others before it is too late.
When someone starts setting fires on the side of their apartment, they are a danger to others. At the very least, Frontier should’ve stepped in and started the appropriate mental health interventions. I’m sorry for this family’s loss, and I hope Frontier has learned a valuable lesson from all of this.
Alice Hale
Spokane