Mental-health help

Recently the media were full of tragic stories regarding suicides in the military, a massacre in Colorado and the anniversary of a mass killing in Norway. Many point fingers at the NRA and gun-control laws.

But I didn’t see one comment about the desperate need for affordable and available mental-health counseling.

If educators, social workers, the police and the military had readily available mental health and counseling centers to which they could refer people, perhaps those who need evaluation and treatment would receive it. Perhaps we could begin a national movement to reestablish community mental-health clinics.

Let the presidential candidates make that a part of their election promises as a fitting and appropriate memorial to loved ones lost.

Barry J. White, Switchboard of Miami volunteer crisis counselor, Miami

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‘First 48’ exploits victims of crime

Thank you for your recent coverage of the city of Miami Police Chief Manuel Orosa’s decision not to renew a contract with the reality show The First 48. For years the show’s film crew has roamed the streets of Miami’s urban communities searching for victims of homicide to feature on their show.
Spiritual or religious?

Martin Slater’s May 17 letter, Changing beliefs, responding to Myriam Marquez’s May 12 column makes the common mistake of equating religion and spirituality. While religions encourage the development of our spiritual sense, religious dogmas are unnecessary to cultivate one’s own sense of spirituality. Many nonreligious individuals are highly spiritual, keenly in tune with their inner-self and the concept of a creative universal force.
DCF is disgraceful

Re the May 21 article DCF deemed boy safe before he was left in vehicle: It’s unbelievable that the Department of Children & Families would do absolutely nothing about a woman who reportedly was drunk and driving, hitting walls and passing out while her young son was in the car untethered.

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