Crackdown urged on undocumented aliens' mental-health care

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: Miami Herald

Mentally ill patients are being placed on waiting lists for treatment because Florida's mental health institutions are crowded with illegal immigrants.

The crisis puts Florida at the forefront of a national debate over whether illegal immigrants should enjoy the same rights to public health care as legal residents.

Florida's mental health facilities have spent $19.6 million to care for at least 86 undocumented immigrants counted during an informal November survey and more unidentified illegal immigrants could be in custody, state officials said. The growing population has put a strain on the state's mental health resources, contributing to a waiting list of 60 beds.

State officials want to turn the illegal immigrants over to federal immigration officers. However, Florida lawmakers would first have to exempt illegal immigrants from patient confidentiality laws.

The Republican-led Legislature could be sympathetic to the idea.

``If the state of Florida is spending money on illegal immigrants . . . it would be more appropriate for them to go back to their countries and get treatment there,'' said Rep. Paige Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda, who chairs the Health Care Services Policy committee.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/07/1517600/crackdown-urged-on-undocumented.html

[UndertheOcean]

1. 86 patients are going to bring Florida down ... the horror

[DissedByBush]

4. The waiting list is 60 beds

In other words, there would be no waiting list if not for the illegals.

Americans would be getting the help they need that they are not now getting because of illegals.

At least that's what they want you to think:

"Treatment costs for illegal immigrants are marginal, representing less than 3 percent of the state's $349 million mental health budget."

Ah, the truth buried in the middle of the article.

[Heywood J]

6. Only 60?

I think Florida dropped about five or six zeroes there from the number needing mental health treatment...

[Bozita]

2. Sounds like: I wanted to join the service, but minorities filled all of the openings

[PSPS]

3. Must be getting close to election season.

[KoKo]

5. I'm sure since our DEMOCRATS are IN POWER...this is just some Hoked Up News Story...

from the Usual RW Sources just to TRASH OBAMA.. RIGHT?