Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson calls for more funding for community mental health services following the arrest of Justin Butterfield of Poland last week for allegedly killing his brother Gabe Damour in Poland on the day of Thanksgiving. Butterfield, 34, faces murder charges and is being held in the Androscoggin County Jail without bond. Butterfield’s ex-girlfriend and another close friend spoke to Total Coverage of Maine this week, saying that despite repeated warnings, Butterfield had been denied the long-term care they said they needed for his schizophrenia. Samson says his department did everything they could to get Butterfield the treatment he needed during Butterfield’s numerous run-ins with law enforcement, but there was little they could do. “We can bring people to the doors of these facilities for treatment, which we do on a regular basis, Mr. Butterfield, unfortunately included,” Samson said. “And what happens beyond that is not up to us.” Butterfield’s ex-girlfriend told Total Coverage of Maine that she asked medical facilities to keep Butterfield long-term and that he was a danger to himself and others Samson says the system current mental health treatment for those like Butterfield is both understaffed and understaffed.” But I think if you look statewide, like in many professions, there’s a lack people qualified to work in these fields, or perhaps also the desire to work in the field. So I think once it gets above a certain level, we’re seeing people who might go through a system multiple times and need a little more, and I don’t know if a little more is available. make sure situations like Butterfield’s don’t happen again in the future. “I think maybe the best treatment would be to look at better funding those community resources,” Samson said. “Or on the way back, for public safety reasons, are we re-examining housing options for people with mental health issues until they can be put back on track or stabilized.”
Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson calls for more funding for community mental health services following the arrest of Justin Butterfield of Poland last week for allegedly killing his brother Gabe Damour in Poland on the day of Thanksgiving.
Butterfield, 34, faces murder charges and is being held in the Androscoggin County Jail without bond.
Butterfield’s ex-girlfriend and another close friend spoke to Total Coverage of Maine this week, saying that despite repeated warnings, Butterfield had been denied the long-term care he needed for his schizophrenia.
Samson says his department did everything they could to ensure Butterfield got the treatment he needed during Butterfield’s numerous run-ins with law enforcement, but there was little they could do.
“We can bring people to the doors of these facilities for treatment, which we do on a regular basis, Mr. Butterfield, unfortunately included,” Samson said. “And what happens beyond that is not up to us.”
Butterfield’s ex-girlfriend told Total Coverage of Maine that she asked medical facilities to keep Butterfield long-term and that he was a danger to himself and others.
Samson says the current mental health treatment system for those like Butterfield is both understaffed and understaffed.
“You have a funding issue to provide these services to people who need more than just assessments are 48-hour catches,” Samson said. “But I think if you look statewide, like in many professions, there’s a lack of qualified people to work in those fields, or maybe the desire to work in the field as well. So I think once it gets past a certain level, we’re seeing people who might go through a system multiple times and need a little more, and I don’t know if a little more is available.”
The sheriff says more funding for community programs or alternative options is needed to ensure situations like Butterfield’s don’t happen again in the future.
“I think maybe the best treatment would be to look at better funding those community resources,” Samson said. “Or on the way back, for public safety reasons, are we re-examining housing options for people with mental health issues until they can be put back on track or stabilized.”
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