What's The Problem Here?

I keep linking to stories like this to emphasize the importance of fixing our mental health system. A minor factor that drove deinstitutionalization was the belief that it would reduce costs to the states. Incidents like this remind us that fixing the system isn't just for the benefit of the mentally ill, but for the benefit of their families, and because of costs that the criminal justice system incurs. From the March 7, 2008 Idaho Statesman:

A 16-year-old Boise boy accused of stabbing and critically injuring his mother in November is not mentally competent to stand trial in adult court on an attempted murder charge.

Tyler Hanscom was put in the custody of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Friday for at least the next 90 days by 4th District Judge Timothy Hansen on the recommendation of a court-appointed psychologist.

A mental evaluation determined the 16-year-old Hanscom, who is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, is not able to adequately understand the court proceedings and would not be able to assist his lawyers in his defense, according to court testimony.

Ada County prosecutors did not object to the report, so Hansen signed off on the order of commitment Friday.

Tyler Hanscom was indicted by an Ada County grand jury in late February on charges of attempted murder and use of weapon in the commission of a felony in connection with the November stabbing attack on his mother, Laura.

...

Neither police nor prosecutors have released a suspected motive in the attack, but it appears Tyler Hanscom’s mental illness might have been a factor.

Family friend and neighbor Shanna Henslee, whose children discovered the attack Nov. 17 and restrained Tyler Hascom until police arrived, said she suspects Tyler was not taking his medication for his paranoid schizophrenia.

Henslee said Laura Hanscom was trying to find help for Tyler for his mental illness at the time of the attack.

What was the problem? Was this an insurance problem? Was it a problem of not being able to persuade her son to take his medication? These are important questions--and I would love to see a bit more investigative effort by journalists to get deeper than today's event.