You’re right, I was being generous assuming no mal-intent. They absolutely have access to mental/public health and policy experts.

Blaming individuals for moral failure rather than addressing systemic issues must be hella convenient though.

Policy makers never heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy apparently.

Nothing can be accomplished until basic needs are met. Coping mechanisms (substance abuse) exist because those have been absent.

Or let’s put the cart before the horse and then blame the horse for being lazy! Genius.

Pretty much no country in the world is set up like that fyi. States/provinces/departments are broken up into municipalities/counties and then into cities/towns.