In the past two weeks, more than a dozen children, most of them teenagers, have been abandoned under Nebraska’s new safe haven law, prompting a great deal of discussion on whether the law should be revised. Although it is important that the safe haven law be re-examined by the Legislature, solely limiting the law to infants will not address the core issue exposed by this new law: the unmet behavioral health needs of children and families in our state.

While Nebraska has a number of high-quality nonprofit human services agencies providing a variety of services, there are simply not enough of them, and many children and families still fall through the cracks. Furthermore, families who do not have private insurance or do not qualify for Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program may face waiting lists and have more difficulty accessing certain services. Because Nebraska has among the lowest eligibility rates in the country for the state children’s health care program, a significant number of children and families find themselves in this gap. We also need to do a better job of educating parents and the community about the programs that are available at no cost or on a sliding-fee scale so that parents know where they can turn and what alternatives exist in a crisis.

As a state, we must address the underlying issues raised by the safe haven law. Revising the law without addressing these issues would ignore the cries for help that this new legislation has brought to light.

Sarah Helvey, staff attorney and director of the Child Welfare Program, Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest

Kleeb is what state needs

I have listened to Scott Kleeb and visited his Web site to read about his positions. His plans for addressing the challenges we face are thoughtful, intelligent and sensitive to Americans of every age, ethnicity and income group. Nebraska’s hard-working citizens deserve to live in vibrant communities that offer clean, healthy environments, and Nebraskans deserve ample opportunities for employment, good health and a first-rate education.

Everything I have seen in Scott Kleeb has led me to believe that he will shun the greed, opportunism and political polarization that have characterized Congress in recent years. I am confident his allegiance will be to his constituents. I believe Scott Kleeb will be a representative of Nebraskans’ interests and a senator who will re-establish our country as an exemplary world leader for the 21st century.

Anne Pagel, Lincoln

Keep murderers isolated

“Killer says he has changed,” the Journal Star headline reads (Sept. 21).

So have his victims. They used to be alive.

I remain a firm opponent of the death penalty. People like the bank robbery murderer Jose Sandoval deserve to be shut away and forgotten. The shunning is part of the punishment. The resulting isolation, and the dreadful years of imprisonment that can only end with the criminal’s ignominious natural death inside prison walls, can be worse than any quick execution.

That way, we don’t have to stoop to the murderer’s level to unwillingly be made party to a state-sponsored revenge slaying.

I can understand the newspaper’s bringing us the story. It was riveting and well done, I must admit. It may even be argued that such stories deter potential criminals, though I really doubt it has that much crime-stopping effect.

But, unavoidably, bringing the criminal into the public eye erodes the heart of the punishment. Undoubtedly, Sandoval can look at the story and his photo and feel connected to society again. He doesn’t deserve to. We don’t want him to.

Bob Copperstone, Wahoo

Palin is admirable

Patricia Wenzl’s angry letter to the editor in Wednesday’s paper blew me away. Even if she doesn’t agree with Sarah Palin’s values or her political views, is it really necessary to attack her personally and so viciously? I think her accomplishments and contributions are admirable.

She is strong, intelligent, poised and has more guts than anyone I know to take on this campaign. Wenzl says it’s humiliating and cruel to be lumped in with Sarah Palin. Not me. I would love to be lumped in with her.

Daylene Kollmorgen, Lincoln