The one and only mental health facility in Manatee County has already been forced to lay off 17 employees in order to stay afloat, however it may be forced to shut its doors completely without renewed funding in the coming months. In addition, the hospitals Children Crisis Center, which helps troubled teens,  may be ending as its grant expires in June. Experts say this represents a shortsightedness prevelant in Florida, which trails the rest of the nation in mental health spending. As spending on criminal justice and correction soar, critics say that much of that spending would not be needed if it were instead directed toward prevention instead. By spending less on mental health, the state may spend exponentially more on incarceration over the long term. Do you agree with that assessment? How important is it to address the mental health of Florida’s citizens?