Nice job. I learned a bit, you made it easy.

I try to imagine you speaking this report as Al Kaprielian.

I remember when Dunkin Donuts actually sold donuts.

And, I remember when Dunkiin Donuts was open 24 hours.

And, I was a cop.

Perhaps, one point is Jesus supposedly saying that we would always have the poor. I bet this has been perverted in many people's minds that there is no point to trying to solve the problems of poverty because, well, Jesus said we would always have that problem. And perverting what Paul wrote, saying that if someone is not willing to work then "let him not eat." Christianity telling us how to mistreat the poor.

Former Christian here, so liberating to be free of a mindset that insists that we can never solve the problems of the poor.

And where did we as a human race get the idea that it is OK for us to allow people to go without food, without shelter, without medical help,without water, without adequate safety or without simple dignity and decency? Why do we think it is not an immediate emergency to feed and shelter children and people in need?

Why do we think that problem of poverty and homelessness is the problem only of those caught up in it?

It would be really great if America had compassion for poor people.

Addiction isn't the addict's fault, it is an illness he has little control over.

Maybe... if they weren't imprisoning people who didn't belong there, then there would be beds for those who really need them.

There was NO treatment being given. None. Nada. No counseling, no medication. Not just me but everyone. The "doctor" didn't even know why I was there and he made it clear that he didn't want to know. I got three to five minutes a day with him (when he was in, no weekends or holidays) and it was basically to prove to him that I was cooperating with the program. It was clear to all of us that to talk back to him in any manner would simply prolong our time there.

Did I mention the abusive staff? Nurses who made fun of us? Who would wake us up in the middle of the night constantly?

Insurance was billed $10,000 for nine days. I am still paying (as slowly as I can) the $2,000 deductible. That does not include the $4,000 to be made to sleep on a stretcher in the ER. And the $800 portion of the $4,000 ambulance ride.

By NH law the person can easily be held for a week while getting before a judge.

You talk as if "a couple weeks of therapy at a behavioral health facility" is no big deal? Let it happen to you and see how you like it!

$1,000 per day. Keep them over the holidays and a weekend, then a three day becomes a ten day - after they conveniently lose your petition for release that you signed the first day you were locked up.

A woman was brought in to the institution. She was in the middle of moving from one state to another with both her possessions and her dog in transit. She needed to be present when her stuff and more importantly her dog arrived - there was no one else to take over. She was freaking out not because of her problems but because the institution would not even consider letting her go and care for her dog. As she was freaking out about this, lying on the floor screaming, some asshole nurse just tried to calm her down saying there, there, it's not that bad.

Myself, I was in the middle of job interviews for my current job. I needed that job but no, that wasn't a valid reason to leave. Nor was he need to help my partially disabled wife. Another woman who was there found out her 82 year old husband had been admitted for heart surgery just as she came in. Did this matter to the staff? Hell no.

It is a for-profit institution that works to keep all of its beds full with whomever they manage to catch. $1,000 a day, maximize the days., minimize the services, no treatment, just bad food and a jail cell with upholstery. Literally.

Utter Bullshit. BTDT.

Went to Lahey seeking help but was NOT suicidal and said so. Was immediately prevented from leaving ER by nurse and security. Was kept for ten days in Haverhill. No treatment. I was not suicidal, nor a danger to anyone else. It was simply the convenience of the ER doctor. And, when I got to Haverhill the head nurse clearly stated that her concern was her liability. There was no treatment, just confinement. For profit.

The difference between a mental hospital and a jail is simply that the mental hospital has upholstery.

They have it in Mass and in NH.

BTW, they can choose an institution and ambulance service that is not in your health plan. You can get stuck with many thousands of dollars of expenses that are not covered and which you had no option to refuse. A twenty mile trip from ER to institution in a crappy ambulance will cost you $4,000 - not covered.

If you are having a "crisis" and go to an ER seeking help and say the "wrong" thing you will get locked up. If there is any way in the mind of the ER doctor that you might have said the "wrong thing" you will get locked up. It's not that they want to help you, it's that they don't want any liability of having seen you and then being liable for anything you might do after they release you. So off to the mental health unit you will go. Simply for them to avoid liability. You have no legal recourse.

A police officer does not have this kind of power - if you were arrested you would get to go before a judge to be considered for bail. But an ER doctor simply needs to write "S.I." on a form and sign it and you will be on your way to being locked up. No further review, and, the people that take you may not have any interest in treating you - you will simply be held until they get around to saying that you've stayed long enough.

Sucks. I would never -ever- talk to a medical doctor about my psychiatric issues.

Lemme know when they get a Portillo's, a Steak and Shake, a Jimmy Johns or a Culvers.

Inventor of email gives a phone number...

Nah. Pretty consistent, we lose power several times a year. Eversource is good about getting it back but still we could be out for an indefinite number of days. Time to get the generator and one that my wife doesn't have to know how to use.

Sorry to hear that. Pembroke was out for six hours but Eversource got the power back on at the estimated time.

Definitely buying a whole house generator this time. $10K is worth it not to have this kind of uncertainty.

That could be an actual Amateur Radio callsign.

Ugly. It's ugly.