Mental health facilities in

Mental Health Facilities in Texas

AP OPEN CARRY TEXAS A FILE USA TXAUSTIN - As of New Years Day, licensed gun owners in Texas have been allowed to openly carry firearms into restaurants, shops and zoos.

Sent!

A link has been sent to your friend's email address.

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

In this Jan. 26, 2015, file photo, Scott Smith, a supporter of open carry gun laws, wears a pistol as he prepares for a rally in support of open carry gun laws at the Capitol, in Austin, Texas. Despite its reputation as the trigger-happy heart of American gun culture, Texas is late to the open carry party, at least when it comes to handguns. On New Yearís Day, itíll become the 45th state to legalize carrying a pistol in plain sight. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) ORG XMIT: CX106(Photo: AP)

AUSTIN - As of New Years Day, licensed gun owners in Texas have been allowed to openly carry firearms into restaurants, shops and zoos.

Add a new place to the gun-friendly list: state mental health hospitals.

Visitors to one of Texas' 10 state mental health hospitals will be allowed to openly carry weapons into the facilities, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Employees and patients will still be barred from bringing in weapons. The hospitals this week pulled down signs banning guns at its facilities and posted new ones asking people to leave their firearms in their cars or conceal them from patients, said Carrie Williams, a state health department spokeswoman.

“While licensed visitors are legally permitted to carry on our hospital campuses, our patients are being actively treated for psychiatric conditions and generally it’s best not to expose them to weapons of any kind., ” Williams said in statement.

The act stems from a pair of new laws, enacted this year, that allows Texans with a gun license to legally carry a holstered firearm without concealing it and bans state agencies from posting signs telling people they cannot carry guns on property. A separate law will allow licensed gun owners to carry firearms into public universities starting Aug. 1. Private businesses could choose whether to allow firearms on their premises.

The laws have sparked heated debate between supporters, who say the visible firearms could deter crime and mass shooters, and opponents who claim guns in eateries and college campuses upset otherwise peaceful environments. Businesses such as Target, Whole Foods and Whataburger have opted not to allow firearms on their Texas premises. Gun-rights advocates have threatened boycotts on businesses that don't allow guns.

Allowing firearms into state hospitals is likely to fuel the debate.

"It’s an absolutely terrible idea, " said Beth Mitchell, a supervising attorney with Disability Rights Texas, an Austin-based advocacy group for persons with disabilities, including mental ailments. "You have a very vulnerable population committed to these facilities for treatment. Allowing visitors to walk around campus with visible firearms could be very scary to people. It's a very volatile situation."

The majority of the patients in the hospitals are civilly-committed - not criminally - so most of the facilities don't have armed security guards, though some do, said Mitchell, whose group monitors the state hospitals. Police officers entering the hospitals routinely do not bring in their firearms, she said.

State Rep. Matt Rinaldi, a Republican from Irving, voiced support of the new policy and said it's up to each hospital to keep the guns away from patients. “It's the responsibility of the operators of the facilities to ensure that the patients are not around dangerous weapons, ” he told the Austin American-Statesman, who first reported the policy shift.

Patients at the hospitals suffer from a variety of ailments, ranging from depression and bipolar disorder to schizophrenia, Mitchell said. Many are veterans of overseas wars struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, she said. Introducing weapons could trigger their symptoms, she said.

"These institutions are supposed to be safe from weapons, " Mitchell said. "Now we’re going to say, 'No one else can have them, but visitors are allowed to bring in weapons.' It makes no sense."

fanatics international stylish outfits coworking space margate outdoor slabs mccloskey international pink christmas decorations leeds building society contact autism communication problems in adults iri worldwide bank building society account number international auctioneers stylish man crossword clue 4 letters communication theories and models coventry building society savings ladies christmas jumper coworking office space design society of will writers coworking spaces glasgow wing coworking space 7 cs of communication tesco christmas slots stylish older women stylish shower curtains parcelforce worldwide depot worldwide covid 19 deaths inexpensive coworking space parcelforce worldwide express 48 stourhead christmas lights worldwide old trafford how to overcome barriers in communication dog friendly coworking space b b c worldwide ltd health insurance worldwide cover outdoor christmas lights clearance pakistani stylish maxi design car hire belfast international factorio couldn't establish network communication with server stylish number fonts how many coworking spaces in london lanai outdoor worldwide vaccination chart release international niche coworking spaces royal pharmaceutical society dpd worldwide tracking belfast international airport arrivals international dog day 2022 coworking space design worldwide fm marketing coworking space stylish bathroom sink stylish watch childrens playhouse outdoor stylish man crossword clue define communication "cqa international" bath christmas market 2022 outdoor hot tubs uncommon coworking space coworking space london waterloo outdoor shelter acai outdoor wear mens stylish sunglasses assertive communication examples coworking cornwall macular society outdoor egg chair bonds international stylish storage coworking krakow the last tuesday society nationwide building society roll number worldwide anti lockdown protests espacios de coworking outdoor cinema nike air worldwide stylish manner crossword clue coworking cafe london stylish office chair stylish wedding suits different types of communication christmas day alzheimers society ni stylish bags for women kent reliance building society outdoor 6 seater dining set coworking space houston nike air max 97 worldwide black reflection as a communication skill ishop worldwide morrisons christmas food 2022 nutrition society christmas jumpers 2022 stylish sunglasses bermondsey coworking space what is good communication thompson worldwide cobot coworking examples of formal communication covered outdoor dining london af1 worldwide outdoor lantern outdoor revolution awning when is international women’s day celebrated delta variant worldwide sticker international private society threesome stylish jackets for women coworking companies ikea outdoor cushions international rugby fixtures 2022 s b s worldwide cheese society stylish kettle stylish homes coworking space in bengaluru costa rica coworking space dementia society communication design christmas carol stylish knitwear concern worldwide england international football art society national autistic society uk law society uk wireless security cameras outdoor uk building society reference worldwide fruit coworking bali last christmas 2022 coworking space jobs describe ways to reduce barriers to effective communication outdoor events dartmoor pony society stylish dog bowl clubhouse games: 51 worldwide classics outdoor chandeliers importance of business communication communication meme stylish christmas jumper mens outdoor cat house stylish tv cabinet christmas inheritance parent communication sydney international tennis 6 c's of communication average height worldwide law society gazette jobs your stylish home
Source: www.usatoday.com
RELATED VIDEO
Man Killed By LAPD Spent A Decade In Mental Health Facility
Man Killed By LAPD Spent A Decade In Mental Health Facility
Mental Health Care Crisis in Texas
Mental Health Care Crisis in Texas
Sonja Gaines discusses mental health in Texas
Sonja Gaines discusses mental health in Texas
RELATED FACTS
Share this Post

Related posts

Maryland mental Health Facilities

Maryland mental Health Facilities

DECEMBER 10, 2024

Adult Residential Treatment Centers Adult residential treatment centers in Maryland (MD) offer residential care for adults…

Read More
Seattle mental Health Facilities

Seattle mental Health Facilities

DECEMBER 10, 2024

At times, an individual with a mental illness may need psychiatric treatment in a hospital. Hospitalization, often referred…

Read More