Quote:
Originally Posted by Merovigan  Quote: |
Originally Posted by Scrim ] It bears mentioning that, at least in the U.S., more than half of the homeless population are too mentally ill to get or keep a job. | Weird..I know a dude with Downs Syndrome who works. *shrug*
Sucks to be them. |
OK, this is an odd exchange.
First, mental retardation is a DSM-classified mental illness. Not that this really matters one way or another, but we talked about it in a class I had last weekend so I'm putting my hard paid-for education to use
However...
In any place I can remember living, there have always been job resources targeted at the "developmentally disabled," which can include people with Downs and other conditions. Organizations specialize in training these people for the workplace and placing them in jobs they can handle.
I can't say I've seen the same sort of opportunities out there for someone with, say, unmedicated schizophrenia. Perhaps because this is very much considered a "true" mental illness by most people, and everyone knows you just shun the crazies or something.
Anyway.
Both are mental conditions, but the way society treats people with these conditions is quite different. That was my point.
Added: Whoa, I totally messed up the quoted discussion and had Scrim saying things Mero said. Sorry 'bout that. Fixed now.