José's son, who has schizophrenia, recently got into a fight that resulted in a broken window — an out-of-control moment from his struggle with mental illness. And it could increase his chances of deportation to a country where mental health care is even more elusive. Hokyoung Kim for NPR hide caption
Officer Brian Cregg checks in with a man who says he is homeless and living in his car in Concord, N.H. In Concord, as in many parts of the Northeast, widespread use of meth is new, police say, and is changing how they approach interactions with people who seem to be delusional. Jesse Costa/WBUR hide caption
The best help for patients struggling with addiction, eating disorders or other mental health problems sometimes includes intensive therapy, the evidence shows. But many patients still have trouble getting their health insurers to cover needed mental health treatment. Gary Waters/Ikon Images/Getty Images hide caption
Dr. Homer Venters, the former head of New York City's correctional health services, says that inmates held in solitary confinement cells, such as the Rikers Island cell shown above, have a higher risk of committing self-harm. Bebeto Matthews/AP hide caption
Toni Hoy, at her home in Rantoul, Ill., holds a childhood photo of her son, Daniel, who is now 24. In a last-ditch effort to get Daniel treatment for his severe mental illness in 2007, the Hoys surrendered parental custody to the state. "When I think of him, that's the picture I see in my mind. Just this adorable, blue-eyed, blond little sweetie," Hoy says. Christine Herman/Illinois Public Media hide caption
Lt. Ryan Snyder, who works at the Champaign County jail in Illinois, says it's hard for any such facility to provide the kind of one-on-one mental health treatment many inmates need. Christine Herman/Illinois Public Media hide caption
A coalition of mental health advocacy groups is calling on federal regulators, state agencies and employers to conduct random audits of insurers to make sure they are in compliance with the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Roy Scott/Getty Images/Ikon Images hide caption
The porches of the 1890s Allison Buildings, shown above in 1910, were later enclosed to provide more space for patient beds. National Archives and Records Administration/National Building Museum hide caption
When used in conjunction with counseling, Suboxone strips placed under the tongue can help ease opioid cravings and other withdrawal symptoms in people trying to quit a heroin or painkiller habit, doctors say. Jake Harper/Side Effects Public Media hide caption
Natalie Dunnege and her son, Strazh, work on an art project at home in San Francisco. Her health insurance would cover therapy sessions to help with her depression, Dunnege says, but she hasn't been able to find a counselor who is taking new patients. Sheraz Sadiq/KQED hide caption
Involuntary commitment to a hospital for mental illness can be a lengthy and complex process. A California law makes mandatory outpatient treatment an option. iStockphoto hide caption