March of the 1500 - Support Mental Health
About 1,000 supporters of El Paso Mental Health Mental Retardation services (MHMR) marched Thursday evening from St. Patrick Cathedral to San Jacinto Plaza to show the urgency for additional State funds much needed in El Paso.
The rally was organized by MHMR to request additional funding. "Without more money, 1000 adults and 500 children would be placed on a waiting list and would not get help for medicines, treatment programs and other assistance for six months or longer, the crowd was told" (El Paso Times-Stephanie Sanchez, reporter).
The crowd marched into San Jacinto Plaza chanting "No Waiting list". BCMHC staff as well as representatives of other local agencies were present to show their support. AntiStigma man was also present at the event.
"W'ere going to have to take 1,500 people off their meds, and over a period of six months, all their symptoms will come back...they will be disruptive in school, there will be public disturbances, there will be arrests, there will be people going to the emergency rooms and asking for medications...it will be chaos and we know that" said Gary Larcenaire, CEO of El Paso MHMR.
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