California Counties Hold $1.6B In Reserve While Advocates Say Mental Illness Treatment Lags Behind
“It is shocking to see these large reserves when we have a funding stream to address the crisis that Los Angeles and other jurisdictions are facing,” said Catherine Blakemore, executive director of Disability Rights California. Meanwhile, other news outlets report on efforts to tackle California's problems with homelessness.
Los Angeles Times:
With An Epidemic Of Mental Illness On The Streets, Counties Struggle To Spend Huge Cash Reserves
When California voters passed a tax on high-income residents in 2004, backers said it would make good on the state’s “failed promise” to help counties pay for the treatment of the mentally ill. After nearly 15 years, Proposition 63 — the Mental Health Services Act — has steered billions of dollars to the counties across the state. But huge sums remain unspent at a time when mental illness has become an epidemic among the homeless population. (Curwen, 8/19)
KQED:
Overcoming A Shameful Past, VA Plans Haven For Homeless Vets In West Los Angeles
A vast green space in one of the poshest neighborhoods in Los Angeles is slated to become a haven for homeless veterans. That's a big change for the campus of the VA West Los Angeles Medical Center. For years, parts of the property were illegally rented to a variety of commercial enterprises having nothing to do with helping veterans. (Jaffe, 8/20)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno’s Homeless Task Force Cleans 2 Tons Of Trash A Day
Fresno Police Department’s homeless task force spends a big chunk of its time cleaning up homeless camps with the city’s sanitation crew — amounting to more than two metric tons of trash a day. But some city leaders don’t believe law enforcement should have to tackle the issue of homelessness. (Calix, 8/17)