Mental illness and what can we do?

With all of the talk about Jared Lee Loughner and how bizarrely he acted over the past year, I have this question for the people reading this blog: have you ever taught someone you suspected was mentally ill and what did you do?

Because I have.

I taught one student in four different classes over a four year period. The first two years we met with the parents - and the district psychologist - trying to get help for the boy. The guess (based on my admittedly limited knowledge of psychology) is that he is schizophrenic.

Bless his heart, the boy ain't right.

But the parents were adamant that there was nothing wrong and the district finally stopped pursuing anything.

If they determined that the student was ill and the parents did nothing, then what? Charge the parents with neglect and force the state to do something? And who would pay?

It breaks my heart but I sat in those meetings and I really, really tried to make them see that the behavior was not "normal" (whatever that means) but I got no where.

I hope I gave the student something that will help him survive.

For the most part, the other students recognized this and were protective. Some times, they would avoid him. Rarely, they would torment him and others would step in to quash it.