California’s Mental Health Efforts Among Diverse Communities Unrivaled, Kennedy Says
Mental health advocate Patrick Kennedy spoke on the eve of a two-day mental health care conference aimed at highlighting local programs that bridge the gap between mental health services and minority groups such as the African American, Latino and LGBT communities.
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy To Kick Off Mental Health Event In Santa Rosa
Patrick Kennedy, a former Rhode Island congressman and longtime mental health advocate, told local and state officials Tuesday that California’s efforts to broaden the reach of mental health services among California’s diverse communities represented a necessary and nearly unrivaled approach to treating mental illness. “To your credit, you’ve really taken this one and you’re way ahead of most other places, unfortunately,” Kennedy said at a reception in Santa Rosa. The gathering, at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel, came on the eve of a two-day mental health care conference aimed at highlighting local programs that bridge the gap between mental health services and minority groups such as the African American, Latino and LGBT communities. (Espinoza, 3/14)
In other news from across the state —
KPCC:
Foster Kids Need Face Time With Parents, But In LA County That's Not Easy
Los Angeles' traffic issues, among other problems, are hampering one of the child welfare system's basic functions: getting foster kids face time with their parents. According to a recent Los Angeles County report, nearly 10,000 children in the county's foster care system are receiving "reunification services" designed to help repair their families and return them to their parents — and visitation is a core, legally required component. (Palta, 3/14)
East Bay Times:
Dublin: School District Battles Norovirus Outbreak
The school district said Tuesday it is working with county health officials to stop the spread of viral gastroenteritis among children at an elementary school. One Dublin Elementary School student has been diagnosed with norovirus, also known as the “Norwalk flu,” and about three dozen students did not attend classes Tuesday after coming down with symptoms, Dublin Unified School District spokeswoman Michelle McDonald said. After some students began experiencing diarrhea, low-grade fever, stomach cramping and vomiting, school staff notified families and sought guidance from Alameda County health officials, who visited campus Tuesday. (Kelly, 3/14)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Vacaville Sued Over ‘Erin Brockovich’ Contaminant In Water Supply
The city of Vacaville is facing pressure to clean up its water supplies after an environmental group sued this week over the amount of chromium-6 in groundwater. In a federal lawsuit filed Monday at the U.S. District Court in Sacramento, California River Watch is demanding that the Solano County city purge its water of chromium-6, the naturally occurring carcinogen that famously sickened Southern California residents as depicted in the movie “Erin Brockovich.” (Alexander, 3/14)