Virginia State Sen. Creigh Deeds sounds like any other proud father. His son, Gus, could read simple books at age 3, played varsity soccer for four years and absorbed foreign languages with ease.
And that's not all, Deeds said at a National Press Club luncheon in March. "He could sing and dance with the best of them. He was handsome and witty. He had it all going for him."
All but good mental health.
Last November at age 24, Gus attacked his father before taking his own life. The tragedy could have been prevented, said Deeds, who still bears physical scars and chokes up when he says he wants Gus "to be remembered more for his living than for his dying."
Violence is rare among people with mental illness, but mental illness is a common denominator among people who die by suicide. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 90 percent of suicides are associated with mental or addictive disorders.
Since the loss of his son, Deeds has led mental health reform legislation in his state, including a law that ensures people in psychiatric crises aren't denied care due to an inability to find a bed in time — a scenario Gus encountered the day before his death.
More significantly, in Deeds's view, he sponsored a resolution that calls for a four-year, comprehensive study to examine the gaps in Virginia's mental health-care system. The resolution was passed in March. Deeds hopes his state will serve as a leader for other states looking for effective ways to reform the mental health-care system.
"Through the loss of my son, I was face to face with deficiencies of a system that I and other legislators created," he said. "Far more simply, I could either be lost in my grief, or I could act. I chose to act."
APA supports such state-level efforts that address mental illness by establishing a continuum of care ranging from prevention to crisis intervention across the lifespan, says Ellen Garrison, PhD, senior policy advisor to APA CEO Norman Anderson, PhD.
APA also stands behind Deeds's commitment to fighting the stigma related to mental illness. "To effect change, we have to bring mental health out into the daylight and have an open and honest discussion about the successes and failures of our mental health laws and services," Deeds said.
— Anna Miller
