Source: CVDaily Feed
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Since leaving his full time medical practice, Dr. Ed Redd has still spent a lot of time treating people with problems – problems like mental illness and drug and alcohol addictions.
The Republican state representative for District 3 says he is pleased that the legislature provided some funding to help people who fall in these categories.
He says, unfortunately, there are a lot of situations where people are sent to jail and when they get out it is not long before they are back.
“My hope is that by intervening,” says Redd, “and being able to get them into treatment as soon as they get out of jail, whether it’s for mental illness, a substance abuse problem or both, that they can actually stay out of jail.
“That actually saves the county a lot of money, it saves the state a lot of money.”
Redd says that it can be an investment made by the state to help those who need it most, while also saving on potential future costs.
“By spending this $20-$30 million a year on trying to address the needs of these people, as well as the homeless people who are at the bottom of the financial spectrum, that we can hopefully improve their lives.”
Redd says without any help health often deteriorates and some people die because they cannot afford medical treatment.