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LETTER: America has a mental health problem

Victor Joecks’ Friday column (“Strip crimes threaten Las Vegas brand”) had some valid points, blaming many crimes on drugs and homelessness. As true as that is, the underlying problem is that America is dealing with a mental health problem with a tremendous shortage of qualified mental health practitioners.

Domestic violence, school violence, anger violence, gun violence, homeless issues and more can all be attributed to mental health problems. Our politicians do nothing to address this, and, in many cases, egg on followers to more violence.

It’s not just the left creating crime and homelessness, as Mr. Joecks believes. It’s a society that plays the blame game and spends little on the underlying nonpartisan mental health issues plaguing this country.

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