Newsradio 1020 KDKA Editorial: Mental Health

Congressman Tim Murphy says the nation's mental health system is broken.

Some terrifying examples –

The Virginia Tech shootings –

The Newtown, Connecticut massacre –

The Florida mom who drove her minivan into the ocean –

With her three kids inside –

Or the McCandless mother who heard "voices" –

Before drowning one son in the bathtub and critically injuring the other.

Murphy – who's a clinical psychologist –

Has legislation making it easier for families of the mentally ill to intervene.

It also provides incentives for out-patient treatment options.

But he admits this is just a first step.

Revamping the mental health system means talking about difficult issues –

Like patients' rights versus their safety – and the public's safety.

But as difficult as it may be – Congressman Tim Murphy is right.

The discussion is long overdue.