LOS ANGELES – Among the new items in a final $36 billion budget approved Tuesday by Los Angeles County supervisors was what one board member called “unprecedented investments” in treatment and diversion.
Supervisor Sheila Kuehl highlighted the additional spending to realize the goal of “treatment first, jail last.”
The money came from funds previously earmarked for a new jail treatment center to replace the Men’s Central Jail. The contract for that facility was canceled by the board in August under pressure by social justice advocates who said the treatment center would be a jail masquerading as a hospital and too massive to provide quality treatment.
Kuehl called the new funding “a foundational investment in our new `treatment first, jail last’ approach for county residents who often repeatedly end up in jail for lack of mental health or substance use treatment.”
It includes $20 million to support 2,200 permanent supportive housing beds operated by the county’s Office of Diversion and Reentry. The board also approved $53 million in funding to expand support for diversion, and another $20 for new treatment beds — in custody or in the community — for individuals with serious mental health issues or significant health needs.
“If a virtual groundbreaking for much-needed services and treatment could be held, we’d be putting a shovel in the ground today,” Kuehl said. “Today we begin to build a new and different future of health and justice for all county residents.”
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Jason Zink says
AV needs to request from the County to have its own County Jail Campus in AV and stop sending our inmates to Downtown LA so they can be treated locally in AV. We must break the drug and poverty cycle in AV locally. There is hundreds of millions $$$$ sitting in the county bank accounts going unspent. AV Leaders request funding and create local jobs and treat our people “locally”. AV Leadership has No unity No strategy visionary PLAN. That is the problem. It’s all common sense. Remember the $150 Million County Woman Jail proposed for Lancaster and was canned – well propose this AV. The money is just sitting there, use it to solve AV/County problem. Or keep AV an isolated miserable hell hole forever! It’s up too “us” too change things too better AV. How stupid are we too let $150 Million in funding too boost our local economy, jobs and solve major problem just go out the door? Stupidity of local AV leaders at its finest!
David Paul says
This is really a good step. Yes, Vets and homeless should and could be better served, but I’m with Jonny Cash, may jail and prison, “rot and burn in hell.”We could and should do better here too.
QH Holdover says
Your only purpose is to run for Mayor so Rex can win Mr.Paul. Stay out of elections so we may get a better Mayor than Rex. Your part of the problem!
More waste of taxpayer money says
this money would be better spent on homes for the veterans in the homeless instead of 93 million dollars on criminals
EXAV says
Do you have a reading comprehension issue? This quote is directly from the article – “for individuals with serious mental health issues or significant health needs.”
reactionary [ ree-ak-shuh-ner-ee ] adjective
–of, pertaining to, marked by, or favoring reaction, especially extreme conservatism or rightism in politics; opposing political or social change.
noun, plural re·ac·tion·ar·ies.
–a reactionary person.
William says
Thank you too much, EXAV
I wish I had posted that definition myself as it perfectly describes those who I reply to on their hypocrisy and downright abstinence in the face of objective reality.
If my comment upsets you, see the above definition describing you.