Joe Kennedy

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Seung-Hui Cho's recent killing of 32 Virginia Tech students and himself has renewed stereotypes about mental illness and violence.

At the same time, it provides mental health providers and supporters with an opportunity to explain some of the realities of mental illness and appeal for contributions to expand their programs.

Mental Health America of Roanoke Valley will stage its third annual Walk for Mental Health on Saturday in Elmwood Park.

Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and the 1.5-mile walk will begin at 10 a.m.

There is no participation fee, but walkers who raise $100 or more will receive a free T-shirt.

The goal is to raise $50,000.

"We need to continue to educate the public about the nature of mental illness," said Lyn Day, a Roanoke psychologist helping to coordinate the walk. "We need to destigmatize mental illness and emphasize that mental illness is treatable."

Filling gaps

The money will help to fund important mental health programs.

They include Forgotten Victims -- children who have witnessed domestic violence; the mental health free clinic held at the Mental Health America offices for the medically uninsured who need counseling, psychiatric care and medications; and Visions for Tomorrow, which provides education and support for the parents of children with serious mental illness.

MHA also provides community education and professional training and advocacy for system reform.

Cho's violent actions make tying mental illness to violence seemingly easy. But that's inaccurate. Only a tiny portion of mentally ill people are a danger to others.

"Everybody with mental illness is not going to be disruptive in their behavior," said Diane Kelly, executive director of MHA in Roanoke.

"If people get the sense that because they have this psychiatric illness, people are going to think they're violent, then they're not going to want to seek treatment."

A clear need

Both Day and Kelly say people with mental illnesses more often suffer as victims of violence than commit it. People with personality disorders often linked to violence, such as psychopaths and sociopaths, are not defined as mentally ill. With Cho's actions, "People have seen the importance of providing treatment for people with psychiatric disorders and of people knowing what the symptoms of these illnesses are and that effective treatments are available," Kelly said.

Virginia law requires that people pose an imminent danger to themselves or others before they can be involuntarily committed for treatment.

Kelly said the term "imminent danger" is too restrictive.

"Only three states still have the imminent danger component," she said. "Hawaii, Georgia and Virginia."

The shootings in Blacksburg have sparked interest in re-examining the state's policies regarding commitments and other hard issues and in the need for more money for mental health treatment.

"We are trying to lobby for legislation that will somehow ensure free access to mental health services," Day said.

Scrutiny of existing laws may help the ill get the services they need when they need them.

Statistics show that better access to mental health services is the number one health care need in this area, Kelly said.

In the Roanoke Valley Community Health Assessment Survey issued in 2000, 13 percent of families reported having members of their household with mental health needs that inhibited their ability to function.

Only 57 percent of those household members had received mental health treatment.

Experts say that one way to fend off depression and sadness -- say, over the Tech shootings -- is to get involved in outside activities.

Saturday's Walk for Mental Health provides an opportunity to engage in exercise while providing money for important work.

Participating in it also would show support for a group that badly needs it.

In its first year, the walk exceeded its $35,000 goal. In its second, it surpassed its $45,000 goal, despite a heavy rain.

This year's goal is $50,000.

"We hope we'll do at least that," Day said.

For information, call Mental Health America of Roanoke Valley at 344-0931.

Joe Kennedy's column runs Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.