Editor, Gazette-Journal:

As mother of a son stricken with a severe mental illness approximately 18 years ago, I ask that readers revisit the plight of these former Eastern State Hospital patients who were declared well enough to function in their own community setting.

Our son was fortunate to have a caring family welcoming him back home to his own room and a safe, clean and caring environment.

Today, our son is stable, working part-time and lives independently. He is employed by our Community Services Board as co-coordinator host for their consumer-run 84 Main, Warsaw Resource Center.

As a long-time member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), I am a passionate advocate for improved community services, especially suitable, safe and clean housing. A never-ending battle for adequate funding with threats of "cuts" in Medicaid and in other areas which fund our Community Services Board ensues, just to keep minimal community services available.

There ar...