"Public Mental Health Care"

For several months now I have been battling the public health system to get help for my Son. My Son is an alcoholic who has been treated in the PA Hospital Emergency Department on several occasions . My son has also suffered with anxiety and depression for more than 10 years. I believe the alcohol use started because of the anxiety and depression but the alcohol has now taken over. He knows that he needs to go to detox as a starting point in his recovery but his anxiety is out of control and he is literally terrified at the thought of going into Detox. He knows that he could die if he doesn't get help but that help is not going to come if he does not get help with his anxiety. I have tried many times to get him some help from the Mental Health Division at the PA but they refuse to see him until he has been through Detox even though I have repeatedly told them that it is his anxiety that is stopping him going to Detox. Their response has been that he must not really want to give up the alcohol if he doesn't go to Detox. So I am helplessly watching him each day drinking himself into oblivion and he is becoming more and more depressed and terrified about dying but no-one will help.