Judge Steven Leifman has become a national leader in trying to get law enforcement officers to find help for the mentally ill rather than put them in jail -- or worse, shoot them, as this profile in the Palm Beach Post describes. He didn’t set out to be an activist in this field. It all started when he was sitting in a restaurant and a homeless man knocked on the window, asking for some food.
Every day, hundreds of sick and injured patients walk into free and charitable clinics around the Tampa Bay area in need of a doctor.Many are suffering from chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Some patients were referred to the clinics by staff at hospitals where they landed after years of neglecting to care for treatable conditions.The clinics allow the patients to pay what they can, or nothing at all. They are staffed by doctors and nurses who volunteer their time. They survive off donations and small grants.Many of the patients have jobs but they are living paycheck to paycheck. None have health insurance, either because they do not qualify for Medicaid or can’t afford private coverage. For these patients, the clinics are often their only option for primary care.
