No question, there's absolutely no question at all. This is fundamentally a health issue. This doesn't mean that if they're committing crimes and are potentially a danger to public safety, there isn't a role for policing in this. Sometimes I've had patients whose lives were saved by a period of incarceration because the chaos was so severe. But having said that, if we could combine the two, then I think it would be much more effective. It would reduce correction and policing and justice cost, ultimately reduce health care cost, and improve the safety and well-being of our communities and our families. Families are terribly devastated by this.
On February 21st, 2019. See this statement in context.