For every four Americans, one will have to face some sort of mental illness at least once, (Spencer A-8). In fact, more Americans suffer from schizophrenia than from HIV/AIDS. In Georgia alone, an estimated 623,000 individuals suffer with major depression, (Spencer A-8). Along with depression, 242,000 are afflicted with some form of bipolar disorder and around 93,000 with schizophrenia. This has then resulted in extreme overcrowding of local and state hospitals mental care units, (). Low funds, lack of qualified staff, and even civil rights violations have all plagued Georgia's mental care facilities within the past few years. Georgia's mental healthcare is in complete chaos, "It's not just failing, it's broken," (Spencer A-8).
             Despite the large numbers of mentally ill patients in Georgia, local and state elections rarely touch on the failing healthcare system geared towards mental health. Many believe that this issue fails to take prominence within elections based on the idea that very few individuals suffering from mental illness, who are the very individuals being failed by the Georgia healthcare system, do not actually financially contribute to political campaigns within the region, (Spencer A-8). This then creates a vicious cycle where would-be politicians and legislators fail to truly acknowledge the withering George system in place for its masses of mentally ill patients. Politicians are often discouraged in bringing light to the issue based on fear of loosing votes because of such massive spending on the mentally ill, (Spencer A-8). Over the past six years, this has resulted in scandals leading to 136 deaths within mental health care facilities.
             In 2008, this issue came to a complete head when federal authorities stepped in to further asses the situation currently going on in Georgia's mental health care facilities. Federal regulators then deemed Georgia's Regional Hos...