The mental health system in South Carolina— specifically in Columbia, SC —is broken, and it’s failing those who need it the most. People suffering from conditions like schizophrenia are not receiving the proper care, support, or treatment they need. Instead, they are left to fend for themselves, often ending up on the streets, incarcerated, or with criminal records that are a consequence of a broken system and the system refuses to act until it’s too late.

Real-Life Story of a Broken Mental Health System: My Son’s Struggle for Help and Safety

My son, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was given an apartment through a local mental health agency, with the understanding that he would receive treatment and care. Despite being court-ordered to get treatment, the agency failed to give him the treatment he was court ordered and to communicate with his payee to ensure that his rent was paid on time. I repeatedly called and left messages to ensure his rent was taken care of, but nobody ever returned my calls. As a result, my son was evicted for non-payment. 

While living at the apartment, I continued to reach out for help, but the system seemed to fail at every turn. I was doing everything I could to ensure he stayed housed and safe. Unfortunately, I was left with no answers, and my son lost his housing.

My son has faced countless challenges. During Hurricane Helene, he was put out from a local shelter and given a heavy blanket, he recorded everything, including him outside during the cold rain. He was also given a trespassing order at a hospital, which led to him being left outside in the cold. His situation only worsened during the winter in Spartanburg, SC. Later, in October 2024, seeking shelter from the cold, my son tried to stay at the hospital again. This time, the police were called, and he ended up in jail.

In jail, my son lost over 50 pounds. Yet, no one can answer my questions or provide me with the information as to why he lossed so much weight in such a short time because, as an adult, his care and treatment decisions are his alone. 

I have tried every avenue available to get him the help he desperately needs, but he remains homeless, confused, and untreated. The crisis team won’t respond because he’s not considered an immediate threat to himself or others. The police won’t intervene because there is no court order to do so.

Despite my constant attempts to get help, my son continues to accumulate trespassing orders, all while he is unmedicated and untreated. The only way I know he's okay is by checking his social media, a heartbreaking reality that underscores just how broken the system is.

This is not just the story of my son, but the reality faced by many individuals suffering from mental health conditions. The system is failing those who need it the most, and families like mine are left to watch their loved ones fall through the cracks.

The Beyond the Label Project is calling for urgent change to how we treat mental health in our communities. The current system ignores the needs of both individuals living with mental health conditions and their families. Here’s what we’re demanding:

 

1. End the Cycle of Incarceration: Too many individuals living with untreated mental health conditions are arrested and put in jail, not because they’ve committed a crime, but because they are unmedicated and suffering from hallucinations or confusion. When they are arrested, they are left to wait in isolation, with no treatment, further deepening their mental health struggles and leading to criminal records they should never have had.

2. Provide Real Support and Housing: Individuals with mental health conditions are often left homeless, unable to care for themselves, or make decisions about their own welfare because of untreated conditions. The mental health system, instead of offering resources and housing support, often allows them to fall through the cracks. We demand that mental health care and housing services are integrated to ensure that these individuals have a safe place to live and access to treatment that will help them heal.

3. Family Inclusion in Treatment Plans: Families are often excluded from treatment decisions due to HIPAA laws, even though we are the ones witnessing our loved ones suffer daily. It’s critical that family members are included in the care process to advocate for their loved ones’ best interests. Families should not have to watch helplessly as their loved ones go untreated and face harsh consequences.

4. Remove Stigmas and Labels: Those living with mental health conditions are often treated as criminals or “unworthy”. Instead of receiving help, they are too often stigmatized, labeled, and criminalized for their symptoms. We demand that people be seen as individuals, not just their diagnosis, and be given the support they need to recover.

5.  Real Access to Care: Too many people in crisis are turned away because they are not deemed a threat to themselves or others. When someone is unmedicated, confused, and struggling, they need access to immediate care, not incarceration or isolation. We need a system that intervenes before it's too late, a system that listens to family members/caregivers and a system who helps families, help their loved ones.

The system is failing us. It’s failing our loved ones who need help, not punishment. It’s failing families who are left in the dark with no resources to support those they care about. People living with mental health conditions are not criminals. They are human beings who deserve proper care, dignity, and support.

We are calling on lawmakers, local authorities, mental health agencies, and hospitals to step up and make systemic changes. People living with mental health conditions need access to treatment, stable housing, and the support of their families. The cycle of incarceration, criminal records, and neglect needs to stop—now.

Sign this petition today to help bring awareness to this issue and advocate for a better future for people living with mental health conditions. Stand with the Beyond the Label Project and help us demand justice for those whose voices have been ignored for too long.

 

Call to Action:

 

- Sign the petition to demand change! Stand up for those suffering in silence.

 

- Share this petition with your community, friends, and family. Together, we can make sure people living with mental health conditions are treated with the dignity, care, and respect they deserve.

 

 

 

 

Let’s work together to stop the cycle of incarceration and neglect and lack of family involvement.