Without state benefits and with no guarantee of being able to qualify for Social Security federal disability payments, these individuals are left unable to pay for their psychiatric prescription drugs, which can cost several hundred dollars a month.

Medical research has proven mental illnesses to be biologically based disorders of the brain. These chemical imbalances of the brain can be successfully treated and managed with a wide variety of psychiatric prescription medications that are now available.

It would certainly be a shame if these medications become unavailable to the mentally ill in the Lawrence area. Fortunately, there are pharmaceutical companies in North America that have programs that offer free medications to low-income individuals. Contacting the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) by phone at its help line 1-888-999-NAMI (6264) or by going online at its Web site, www.nami.org, can provide interested individuals with a list of these companies and the psychiatric drugs each manufactures.

Until our state and federal governments can fully comprehend that mental illnesses are medical illnesses, we may have to rely on the private-sector pharmaceutical companies for the compassion that is so obviously lacking elsewhere.

The availability of psychiatric medications for the low-income mentally ill citizens of Lawrence will allow these individuals to continue leading productive lives that enrich our community.

Christine Arentson,

Lawrence