I am a dedicated and concerned parent. My son, now forty years old, is living on the streets. His identity has been clouded by his schizophrenia. He does not know who I am or where home is. He refuses to take medication and over the years, he has drifted further and further away. He was committed once but was released after only a few weeks to the streets, without any notification to me on his whereabouts due to HIPAA regulations.

The Care Court released him simply because he refused help, even though he is clearly incapable of making sound decisions for himself due to his severe illness. He will not admit that he hears voices - a common symptom of schizophrenia - and it's heartbreaking to see him lost to the streets, losing himself day after day.

It is a harsh reality that our legal system inhibits parents like me from directly intervening in securing necessary treatment for our adult children when they are diagnosed with debilitating mental illnesses. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that approximately 1 in 25 adults in the U.S.—9.8 million, or 4.0%—experiences a serious mental illness in a given year that substantially interferes or limits one or more major life activities (NAMI, Mental Health by the Numbers).

This petition is a plea to amend legislation and restore the rights of parents to make crucial decisions concerning the welfare of their adult children diagnosed with a serious mental illness. No parent should have to watch their child suffer and not be able to intervene. A plea for equality, understanding, and compassion for those who cannot help themselves due to the devastating effects of mental illness. Join me in making this plea to our lawmakers to ensure that necessary amendments are made to our existing legislation. Please sign this petition.