That was the whole point of defund the police - shift social/mental health services to people who are trained in those areas and let cops focus on crime rather than domestic disturbances.

This is one of the reasons abusers pressure you to quit your job-- so even if you were finanically stable before, you end up becoming financially dependant on them so you can't just leave. It also makes it nigh-impossible for kids, even kids of wealthy families, to escape abusive situations before they're old enough to get a job (and you can bet their parents will run interference to keep that from happening as long as possible, or else figure out a way to coerce them into giving them their paychecks.)

I don't think this is just a capitalist problem. I don't think there's been an economic system in human history (practiced, not theorized) that helped the have nots to the same degree as the haves.

You say we don't need more policing, but I have a point to interject.

I was completely sober while my wife was decidedly.... not. She had just struck me and it would produce a black eye later.

I called the police, aside from the abuse, my wife was experiencing a mental breakdown and was on the verge of suicide. When I say verge, I mean I had hidden or destroyed anything she could hurt herself with, including my own psych meds that I need for my own mental health issues. She still tried, though ineffectual. We needed professional help. We wanted an ambulance. We requested an ambulance from 911. The pigs showed up, of course.

I had a swelling eye, a witness, and a dramatically unstable wife and was almost arrested.

The police do not care about your well being. "Serve and protect" has been stricken down by the Supreme Court. The police serve the 1%, and deal with us plebians as easily as possible... that is to say, they will ruin your life because it is easier than taking care of the actual offender.

We need a support agency for health, especially mental health, crises. A mentally unstable person can cause a lot of damage, either to their own life, or others. That includes death.

End statement. TL;DR; we need a public agency that helps people who are having a mental health crisis and doesn't treat them as violent extremists.

I've used one of these before. The main problem is that you're often put on a hold for at least 72 hours.

And while this does help get you out of that immediate crisis, missing 3 days of work and pay can actually put you in a worse position when you get out.

And mental institution stays aren't always super helpful for long-term mental health. Many of them are as bad, if not worse than being in jail.

Same with my city. During the defund the police talk they made national news as an alternative to armed police response to mental health crisises.

Pretty much everyone in the USA is served by mobile crisis teams. 988 will connect you to one

Is there a 3 digit number you can call?

I mean like people stuck in abusive situations, cults, etc.

Maybe we'll end up with just 1 half of the country where people are all chill and caring and the other half can be toxic to each other because they thrive off of unhealthy drama. But oh well.

Hate to break it to you, but you've been incarnated already...