- Today's homeless crisis can possibly

be traced back to the last bill signed

by President John F. Kennedy.

In 1963, the Community Mental Health Act

closed America's insane asylums.

While this law helped transform

the often barbaric treatmentof the mentally ill,

it's also led to unforeseen problems.

- Yeah, the road to hell waspaved with good intentions

and I think that's a great example

at the institutionalization.

- Psychiatrist, Kenneth Rosenberg says

the sad consequence ispeople with those same issues

often go untreated today.

- That's just a sin, if you ask me.

And that's something thatwe really have to correct.

- About 11 million Americans have

a serious mental illness,such as schizophrenia,

bipolar disorder, suicidaldepression or severe PTSD,

which can render themutterly dysfunctional.

In his book, Bedlam, AnIntimate Journey into America's

Mental Health Crisis,the author and film maker

says these people pingpong between the street

and a jail cell.

- Los Angeles is theepicenter of this crisis.

The largest mentalinstitution in this country

is the LA County Jail.

The largest collection ofpeople outside is in Skid Row.

Skid Row is kind of like aday hospital, if you will,

for people with serious mental illness.

- Add to this equation anestimated eight out of 10

people living on the streetsstruggle with addiction.

For the mentally ill,that's like pouring gasoline

on a fire.

- We know there are factors that can bring

a mental illness out of thewoodwork, open a window,

if you will, on serious mental illness

that would otherwise be closed.

What are those factors?

Poverty, trauma, goingto jail, unfortunately

most of the mentally illend in jail nowadays.

And, above all else, substance abuse.

- Although this perfectstorm may seem hopeless,

Dr. Rosenberg offers concrete solutions

starting with community treatment centers.

- These are terrible diseases,but people can get better.

They may not be curable,but they are very treatable.

- Also expanding the numberof mental health courts.

- We can mandate treatmentfor people who are

too sick to know that they need it.

- And developing drugs that work better

with fewer side effects.

- The medicines we're using forserious mental illness today

are 70 years old.

I think that's absolutely terrible.

God forbid, you have breast cancer,

God forbid, you have colon cancer,

you're gonna get a treatment that's two

or three years old, notone that's 70 years old.

- For family and friends ofsomeone going through this

Dr. Rosenberg says eatinghealthy, lowering stress,

sleeping well, minimizingdrug use, where possible

and feeling connected allhelp minimize mental illness.

Doctors say psychoticillness typically comes on

between ages 17 and 21 andthe longer the brain goes

untreated, the worse it becomes.

So, early intervention is key.

- There are people in yourcommunity, in your church,

in your synagogue who couldhelp you think this through.

The clergy are veryproficient in understanding

how to deal with this, how to send you

to the proper healthcare providers,

people who will be consistent

with your own spiritual practices.

- So, while America grapples with issues,

both past and present, intreating the mentally ill,

there's still hope by making it a priority

and using a variety of treatments.

Lorie Johnson, CBN News.