March for Mental Health - May 19, 2012 - Chicago, IL

This year Raum Emanuel, mayor of Chicago, cut 6 mental health centers from the cities budget thinking that the 20,000 displaced patients will be able to get care at one of the other facilities. It was said that 18 people have already died because not being able to get the help they needed. The cuts were a measly 1 tenth of a percent in the city budget. certainly we can do better than that. We all pay one way or another. For treating or not treating. But the cost of not treating is much higher. The cost to  public safety and public health, to broken families, not to mention the economic losses associated all these.

On saturday a protest march was organized. Doctor, nurse and patient activists dressed in hospital gowns and lead a march around the mayors north-side neighborhood,stopping for a sit in front of his home ( which could be mistaken for a small college). How much did the mayor spend to have 3 helicopters hovering over this peaceful demonstration?  Silly mayor. 

Maybe it was just the NATO effect but I have never seen so many journalists and photographers at of these protests. Kudos to people that used the NATO weekend to protest about this local and personal issue.