Report: Los Angeles County is Obstructing Aid to Mentally Ill Homeless People

Soooo transportation between the Santa Clarita Valley and the San Fernando Valley constitutes a barrier  for adults who have mental illness to obtain day programs to help them access treatment.  

Barbara B Wilson, LCSW

http://gawker.com/report-los-angeles-county-is-obstructing-aid-to-mental-1737691720

Los Angeles News: LA District Attorney releases roadmap for diverting mentally ill from jail

This is an article about Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting in which Dist Attny Jackie Lacy testified along with L.A. County Sheriff Donnelly,  LACDMH Director Marv Southard stating that treating people with mental illness is inappropriate, is extremely expensive, and has the highest rate of recidivism. 

http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/07/22/53263/la-district-attorney-releases-roadmap-for-divertin/

The 2015 NAMIWalks Ventura County is May 5th

What is a NAMIWALK?

Want to Join the Ventura County NAMIWalk?
For more information about this event, please contact: 
Walk Manager Name - Roberta Rodriguez
Walk Manager Email - roberta.rodriguez@namiventura.org
Walk Manager Phone - 805-889-7674


Date: Sat May 02 2015
Distance: 5K
Check-in: 9:00 am
Start Time: 10:00 am
Event starts in: 75 days

Please mail Matching Gifts and Offline Donations to:
NAMI Ventura County
P.O. Box 1613
Camarillo, California 93011

92% of Eligible Covered California Enrollees Have Renewed Plans

On Wednesday, Covered California officials announced that most residents who purchased a health plan through the exchange last year have renewed their coverage for 2015, KPCC's "KPCC News" reports.

Details of Renewals

About one million Californians who bought private coverage during the Affordable Care Act's first open enrollment period were eligible for renewal (Florido, "KPCC News," KPCC, 1/28).

About 944,000 of those who were eligible to renew have done so -- representing a renewal rate of 92% (Covered California release, 1/28).

Officials announced that about 576,000 consumers allowed their coverage to automatically renew, while about 368,000 decided to shop for a new plan. As of December 2014, about 54,000 enrollees had switched plans, according to "KPCC News" ("KPCC News," KPCC, 1/28).

State data on the renewals show customer retention rates of:

• 99% for Kaiser Permanente;
• 94% for Anthem Blue Cross;
• 94% for Blue Shield of California; and
• 90% for Health Net.

Implications

Charles Bacchi, CEO of the California Association of Health Plans, said, "[W]ith 90% of enrollees sticking with their existing health plan, it is clear that there is stability in the market and people are pleased with their coverage" (Terhune, Los Angeles Times, 1/28).

Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee added, "Consumers liked the plan they were in, liked the providers they have access to and did not see the need [to change coverage] -- even though one-third actively logged onto the system and looked around" at other plans ("KPCC News," KPCC, 1/28).

http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2015/1/29/92-of-eligible-covered-california--enrollees-have-renewed-plans

Yet again, mental health funding act gets slammed

California voters don’t readily raise taxes. But because the cause was just, they made an exception in 2004 by authorizing a $1 billion-plus a year tax to help poor souls who struggle with mental illness.
“Our prisons and jails are full of thousands of people with mental illnesses who would not be there if they had been offered treatment,” Proposition 63’s backers said in the official ballot argument. “We should provide care before people end up on the streets, or behind bars.”
So the Little Hoover Commission report this week was beyond disheartening. The report said there is no proof that the $13.2 billion generated by the Proposition 63-imposed income tax on wealthy Californians during the past decade has done what it set out to do.
“After 10 years, the state cannot provide basic answers to basic questions: Has homelessness declined? Are programs helping Californians stay at work or in school? Who is being served and who is falling through the cracks?” the state government-run oversight commission said.
The report does not break much new ground. The California State Auditor reported in 2013 that the state provided little assurance of the Mental Health Services Act’s effectiveness. The latest report does, however, serve a function by making clear that not much has changed.
Former Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, the initiative’s leading proponent, said in an interview on Wednesday that data proving the act has worked would be delivered within six weeks. We look forward to it.
In 2004, Proposition 63 backers told voters that by approving the Mental Health Services Act, they would greatly reduce costs for incarceration, medical care, homeless shelters and social service programs.
However, the latest report states the obvious: “Californians still see the mentally ill on their streets and see too often the impacts of mental illness in senseless crimes, suicides and inability to stay in school or on the job.
“Without conclusive data, no one knows how far the state has come in addressing mental illness through the act and how far it still has to go.”
Not far enough, evidently. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation estimates that 28.4 percent of the inmates in state prison have some sort of mental illness diagnosis.
The commission points out that the Department of Health Care Services and the Mental Health Oversight and Accountability Commission are supposed to monitor how the money is spent. Additionally, the state allocates $86.9 million from Proposition 63 funds to 12 state agencies – count them, 12 – to administer aspects of the program.
Clearly, many departments claim to oversee parts of the $1 billion-plus, but no single agency is in charge.
The Little Hoover Commission refers to press reports that money has helped fund acupuncture, art and drama classes, sweat lodges, parenting classes, massage chairs, horseback riding therapy, yoga and anti-bullying programs. The commission does not, however, attempt to determine whether such programs make sense, a disappointment.
Thanks to voters’ compassion, California has spent a huge sum to care for severely mentally ill people in the past decade, more than any other state. Voters deserve a proper accounting of how that $13.2 billion has been spent. More to the point, the state and counties need to use that money for people who, through no fault of their own, cannot care for themselves

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article8539355.html#storylink=cpy

NAMI Westside Los Angeles: Consolidation Means MH Dilution

On Thursday, there was an announcement that supervisor Antonovich is proposing to consolidate the three health agencies: Dept. of (1) Mental Health (2) Public Health, and (3) Health Services, in LA County into one agency.  This will be heard at the Supervisor's meetingnext Tuesday (1/13/15).

The problem with this action is that consolidating the three agencies will dilute the power of the Dept. of Mental Health.  By combining the agencies, less of a priority will be placed on mental health than with a single focused agency like the DMH.  Also, employees with less experience in mental health from outside of the DMH may end up holding positions involving mental health issues when the agencies are combined.  It is being pitched as a way to solve bureaucracy, but in fact it will break a system that has put a priority on mental health.  Please call your district supervisor and let them know how you feelbefore 1/13/15:

*If you're not sure which to call, just look it up here or just pick one or two.

First District

Hilda L. Solis (213) 974-4111

Second District

Mark Ridley-Thomas (213) 974-2222

Third District (westside)

Sheila Kuehl (213) 974-3333

Fourth District

Don Knabe (213) 974-4444

Fifth District

Michael D. Antonovich (213)974-5555

Mental Health Hook Up Corporate Consultation Services: Video

San Diego Group Encourages Young Adults With Mental Illness To Have Fun

The National Institute of Mental Health says about one in five young adults has a diagnosable mental illness.
It’s not uncommon for young people with mental health issues to withdraw from others, and to isolate themselves. That can make their situation worse.
A group in San Diego has made it their mission to encourage young adults with mental illness to get out of their shell, make friends, and have a good time.
The group is operated by young people.

 

About Impact Young Adults:
The mission of Impact Young Adults is to enrich the lives of young adults with mental illness, ages 18 – 35, with experiences of acceptance, personal growth, and accomplishment. They use a peer-run model to create a supportive community with social activities, mentoring, and leadership opportunities.

Impact Young Adults was initially based in Hillcrest, San Diego, and now has an office in Vista, CA. We have activities in many places throughout SD County. We encourage anyone in the larger San Diego area to get involved! Please check out our calendar for upcoming events.

http://www.impactyoungadults.org/

ACA Helps Mend Differences Between Obama Admin., Insurers - California Healthline

ACA Helps Mend Differences Between Obama Admin., Insurers - California Healthline

The Obama administration and health insurers have formed a "mutually beneficial partnership" since the Affordable Care Act's passage in 2012. Although insurers initially distrusted the federal government, they now help insulate the Obama administration against challenges to the law, which presents opportunities for insurer growth. New York Times et al.

Mental Health Hookup Book Recommendation: Maya Schenwar's "Locked Down, Locked Out" - Get It Now

Prisons affect people with mental illness as well.   Might we be going backward?

Barbara Wilson

Maya Schenwar's "Locked Down, Locked Out":
For years, in addition to her tireless work running Truthout, Maya Schenwar has written on the impact of prisons in the United States - the devastating effects this system of incarceration has on individuals, families, communities and the country as a whole.

As more and more people recognize the US prison system as a pressing issue, her work has appeared not just at Truthout but also The Guardian and The New York Times. Now we are very proud to announce the release of Maya Schenwar’s debut book, Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn’t Work and How We Can Do Better.

Locked Down, Locked Out is a deeply personal and unflinchingly honest book, drawing directly on the experience of Schenwar’s own family, as well as extensive research and interviews with those who are incarcerated and those who are working to find better alternatives to incarceration. Through the stories of prisoners and their loved ones, Truthout’s editor-in-chief looks at how prison breaks apart families and communities, creating a rippling effect that touches every corner of our society. With an eye always on the practical, she explores how we can provide healing and resolution to victims while building public safety in communities - and ultimately, how we can create a safer, more just world.

Locked Down, Locked Out has already been acclaimed by everyone from Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, to former Congressman Dennis Kucinich, and from Bill Ayers to Angela Davis, who says it contains “brilliant juxtaposition of abolitionist imaginaries and radical political practices.”

Published by Berrett-Koehler, Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn’t Work and How We Can Do Better will be in stores on November 10. But you can get Maya Schenwar’s book ahead of time, shipped directly from Truthout, by making a minimum donation of $25 today!

News Article: Prison for Fun and Profit

At the beginning of the 1980s there were no privately-operated adult correctional facilities in the United States. As of 2009, more than 129,300 state and federal prisoners were housed in for-profit lock-ups. Prison privatization has become an acceptable practice and the private prison industry is now a multi-billion dollar business. How did this drastic expansion of incarceration-for-profit occur, and more importantly how has it rearranged the criminal justice landscape?

Read Full Article: Prison for Fun and Profit

NAMI: Mental Illness and the Right to Vote

Many people with mental illness mistakenly think that they have lost their right to vote.  Unless they have had their rights revoked due to criminal convictions or through conservatorship, they have a right to vote.   Voting can now be done on-line and there are free computers in most public libraries.

If the right to vote has been lost there are procedures to reclaim the right to vote. 

http://www.nami.org/election

October 5th through the 11th is Mental Health Awareness Week

Upcoming Mental Health First Aid Event at College of the Canyons University - Santa Clarita, CA

Upcoming NAMI Walks in California

Learn more about the NAMI walks at http://www.namiwalks.org/

Robin Williams dead at 63: Actor’s battle with severe depression spotlights celebrities’ mental illnesses

Hopefully his passing will provide a spotlight on treatment and resources for those suffering from mental illness. It is such a huge issue that is not publicized enough in my opinion.


From the NYDAILY NEWS:
Robin Williams talked about his battle with depression, as well as years of drug and alcohol addiction, in interviews years before his death. The actor was found dead in his California home Monday.

The actor’s battle with depression puts a spotlight on his famous friends, including Christopher Reeve and Jonathan Winters, and other celebrities who had experiences with extreme depression.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/robin-williams-battle-depression-spotlights-celebrities-mental-illnesses-article-1.1900493

NAMI 2014 NAMI National Convention

NAMI returns to the nation’s capital for its 2014 national convention!

September 3-6 ~ Washington, DC. Registration is now open

NAMI | 2014 NAMI National Convention

Recent statement from Lou Vince at DAA regarding mental health

Recent statement from Lou Vince at DAA regarding mental health:

Another major problem in the County jails is the mental deterioration of prisoners with mental illnesses who are receiving little to no services while incarcerated. This problem is directly linked to violence in the jails.
The Los Angeles County jail system has been described by many experts and commentators as the largest psychiatric hospital in the country. The popular social movement of “De-institutionalization” of some years ago has turned into what some mental health experts now term “trans-institutionalization” because our society has transferred the population that once resided in psychiatric hospitals and mental institutions to our jails and prisons. 64% of jail inmates suffer from a significant mental health problem.
According to the opinions of Dr. Terry A. Kupers in a 2008 ACLU report, few inmates in the L.A. County jails were receiving mental health treatment and about 350 per 2,000 inmates were receiving only medications while being subjected to severe overcrowding or isolation but no mental health programming.
Additionally, in tours of Men’s Central Jail, Twin Towers, and the Inmate Reception Center Kupers encountered a significant number of inmates who were either never diagnosed or were discharged from the caseload and transferred from mental health housing, administrative segregation, or disciplinary housing into the general population.
The connection between jail violence and mental illness should be obviously clear. Add jail overcrowding and you have a recipe for increased rates of violence, psychiatric breakdown, suicide, a loss of impulse control, temper flares, and increased noncompliance with rules and regulations.
Also of great concern was the fact that it was found that these mentally-ill inmates were rarely seen by psychiatrists and were being managed by Deputy Sheriffs who had no training in handling psychiatric patients. Deputies react to behaviors exhibited by the mentally ill. They become gruff, which is interpreted by the inmates as being “disrespected” and they, in turn, become angry. Their anger can and does result in being punished and so the anger escalates. Deputies react and so the cycle continues. As your next Sheriff, I would end this cycle!
As Sheriff, I would lobby the County Supervisors to mandate the Department of Mental Health to evaluate the need for substance abuse and mental health services among pre-trial and sentenced offenders, in both the incarcerated and community-supervised population, and develop a plan to fund and provide such treatment and services both in the correctional facilities and the community.

"Mental Health Crisis" series: Mental Illness Takes Toll

Antelope Valley

"Mental Health Crisis" series

"Mental Illness Takes Toll" by Andrew Clark

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"Mental Health Crisis" series: System Overwhelmed

Antelope Valley

"Mental Health Crisis" series

"AV Mental Health Officials Seek Funds" by Andrew Clark

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