SALINAS, Calif.- There's three distinct
conversations going on about what could have possibly prevented last week's tragic
shooting in Newtown, Connecticut killing 20 young children and 6 adults. First
is mental health. Do we as a society pay
enough attention to it? Are there
resources available to those in need? Then,
a look at school security-is all the prevention and practice ever enough? And, lastly, gun control. A topic that comes up after every mass
shooting since 1999--but will legislation to regulate guns ever pass?
Discussions surrounding mental
health have really picked up in the last few days. In fact, one mom shared her frustrations and
fears about her own son, with the Huffington Post. She said in part: "I am sharing this story because I am
Adam Lanza's mother and these boys and their mothers, need help...it's time to
talk about mental illness."
Hundreds
around the nation agree and to keep the conversation going we found a mom in
our community, who's also willing to open up about the same fears.
Gina Massolo said her 10-year-old son Cole has a mental
disability. But the hardest part is not
having clear direction on how to help him have more good days, than bad days.
"We can't get a true diagnosis for him and that I think is one of the most frustrating parts because we've been told we can get
certain services but he's got to be labeled with a diagnosis," Gina said.
Gina knows she's not the only parent dealing with similar
frustrations. She said Cole has been in
several special education programs and nothing seems to work. Right now he's living and going to school at
a Central Coast residential program designed to help kids like her son. Gina said
he doesn't act out at home-but stress at school will trigger behavior that's
hard to manage.
"To where it could be throwing a chair up against a
wall, pushing a table against a wall, flipping a table," Gina said.
Gina said when she thinks about cases where kids or young
adults with a mental disability turn to violence, she can't help but wonder why
more resources can't be readily available before it's too late. She thinks kids like her son, need more
specialized care through school.
"You know what he's doing, where does he fit in? I think that's what us as parents are looking
at the school and administrators and educators on assistance for," Gina
said.
From her perspective, it's not that people are unwilling to
talk mental disabilities, it's finding leadership for kids who need help.
"People aren't really willing
to step up to the plate and take charge," Gina said.
Gina said it's very important not
to make generalize those with mental disabilities and associate them with
violence because of what happened in Connecticut. She thinks instead
it's important to educate yourself on how to help someone who may be unstable.
