My heart breaks over the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. As a mother of three little boys, I cannot begin to imagine the overwhelming grief and pain that the parents and families of those innocent little ones are now dealing with each day. I hold in high regard the selfless act of the adults who sacrificed their lives to save and protect others from this horrific event.

While our nation begins to search for solutions that will prevent such tragedies from happening again, gun control has become a dominant focus. It is a warranted conversation; however, when I reflect on what happened, I am led to believe that a conversation about mental health is also warranted. I am in no way an expert on mental illness, nor do I know if mental illness was the cause or pure evil. What I do know is that what occurred in Newtown was irrational; and I want to believe that no rational person would do such a thing.

The article “I am Adam Lanza’s Mother” highlighted for me the precarious situation that those caring for people with mental illness face each day. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, serious mental illness affects approximately 6 percent of the adult population; or one in 17. The levels of mental illness are vast and it is a complex issue. We likely will never really know the motive behind the massacre and I have to admit that no answer will give me solace.

To learn more about local organizations working on the mental health cause visit, Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council. To support the Newtown community, contact the United Way of Western Connecticut, which has established a Sandy Hook School Support Fund.
Visit http://newtown.uwwesternct.org/.

If you are a Leadership Foundation alumnus working or volunteering on mental illness issues, please let me know. We would love to share your civic work in this space.

Enjoy and cherish your family and friends during this holiday season.

Respectfully,

Tameka Montgomery