Mental Health Partnership puts Police Investigations at Risk
What did the treating psychiatrist know about Robert Card, the Maine shooter before the police were involved?
CNN’s “deep” reporting of Lewiston Maine shooter, Robert Card, fails to explore crucial questions about communication, collaboration, and the shared responsibility for the well-being of individuals in crisis.
When police are aware of an individual’s mental health status, it prompts a critical examination of what information psychiatrists, as mental health professionals, may possess and how this knowledge is communicated.
Law enforcement officers frequently find themselves on the front lines of interactions with individuals in various states of mental distress and too often on multiple psychiatric mind-altering drugs. Being aware of an individual’s mental health history can significantly impact the approach they take during encounters. So, it begs the questions about what the psychiatric industry knew about Robert Card prior to the shooting event and police intervention?