"Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail..." (Emerson) I, as a concerned and responsible resident of the State of Hawaii, am concerned about the recent 75%budget cuts for Hawaii's Mentally Ill and Mental Health Programs. As either one of Hawaii's mentally ill, or as a concerned parent, brother, sister, brother, friend of someone beloved to me, I would like to petition the State of Hawaii to restore the much needed funding back into the Mental Health System. I believe that slashing funding for the mentally ill will only increase the cost that the State of Hawaii and its taxpayers will bear. This will be in the form of increased law enforcement costs, hospital costs, as well as lost wages for caregivers of the mentally ill, who may not be able to attend work to care for their loved one. This will result in loss of homes, loss of life and loss of dignity for all. Mental illness is a disease, just like diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's and cancer. Would be be so cruel as to withhold treatment form any of these people Would we deny a diabetic his insulin Would we stop chemotherapy and treatment for our loved one with cancer Would we put our father or mother with dementia out in the street and cut off funding for their care I beg you to reconsider. Hawaii has one of the highest rates of teen suicide in all of America, as well as one of largest bi-polar populations per capita. We have a human responsibility to care for these people. Again, I beg you to reconsider. Please restore funding to Hawaii's Mental Health and act with compassion. "In a moral society, people listen to each other and care about the other person. No person may be sacrificed for any goalâ