The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion Tuesday that will bring intensive residential mental health and substance abuse programming to the Antelope Valley.
“The northernmost portion of our County is in dire need of behavioral health care services,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who introduced the motion. “The closest crisis residential treatment program is more than 50 miles away in Sylmar. My Antelope Valley constituents deserve to have access to high-quality residential programming to treat their mental health needs. If we expect to make a dent in the mental health and homelessness crisis, this is the type of action the County needs to take – an investment in building up our mental health bed capacity to treat behavioral health disorders, heal trauma, and provide systematic care.”
The motion directs the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to start its assessment process, which includes studying the needs of people served by the High Desert Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center.
Their results will be used to document a need for a crisis residential treatment program in the County’s Service Area 1, which consists of the Antelope Valley.
[Information via news release from the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.]
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Kat says
Finally!! But too late…. I gave up on L.A. County on doing anything (10yrs now for the constituents and their OWN) but burying us deeper into disparity. I currently reside in Lancaster and tried to use Mental Health services but was turned away (after 3 days detox only at TTC) and told NO beds in residential. The items I purchased to go into residential I could have used to get HIGH with once I was let go. I’m moving out of state now cuz I’ll just die here….. I hope the BOS keep their word and use the funds for that purpose with adequate staffing too. Good Luck LA County!!
Mpalalay says
It’s quite evident that most of the country’s widespread and catastrophic increase of and homelessness and crimes have mental and behavioral causes-and effects. To mitigate and solve the problem, leaders and community leaders must address them as such–and not just with an overly simplistic and dead-end approach of a matter of giving them a “roof above their head” and “food in their stomach.” This should be a big step forward toward enduring long-term and far-ranging solutions–not just Band Aids.