LA County Will Add 500 Badly Needed Mental Health Treatment Beds (laist.com)

Dana Brown (PACEs Connection Staff) 12/4/198:28 AM

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to add 500 mental health treatment beds over the next two years, as part of a larger effort to increase services for Angelenos who need psychiatric help.

The supervisors approved recommendations in a report from the County Department of Mental Health, which said there's a serious shortage of psychiatric treatment beds. Emergency rooms are overloaded and about one-quarter of the county's adult homeless people have a serious mental illness, according to the report.

Earlier this year, supervisors approved a plan to demolish the Men's Central Jail and replace it with a mental health facility.

To read more of Robert Garrova's article, please click here.

Add Comment

Comments (1)

Newest · Oldest · Popular

Sandy GoodwickMember

WILL PEOPLE SENT TO THESE “BEDS” HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE? OR WILL EVERYTHING BE REDUCED TO PSYCHIATRIC “DIAGNOSES” AND MEDICAL SYMPTOMS ARE IGNORED?

I have a dear friend who had real, genuine medical complaints for a FULL YEAR and the system kept on going to the “default” ‘... you’re not taking your meds...”. It was beyond heartbreaking to know that a solid, decent human being who’s active in LA County peer work... be repeatedly shunted, shafted, ignored and maltreated by everyone from callous, sarcastic first responders to ER staff to medical office personnel.

A YEAR!

Finally one doctor actually listened. My friend had Hep C from a bad blood transfusion as an infant, and had taken the medication to stop the Hep C. But her blood tests (finally done!) showed she had Hepatic Encephalopathy. For a f*cking year, she had the same, worsening symptoms... it finally took a doctor who actually listened, and connected medical (rather than psychiatric) dots. And in that year, her liver function truly suffered.

So... what may look like a “solution” to some, is perpetuation of a problem... to others.

12/6/197:32 PM

Skip to main content

Add Comment

Membership Required

Remove From Your Block List

Manage Follow Preferences

Block

Please wait...