Stanislaus Moves Forward With Law That Allows For Court-Ordered Assisted Outpatient Treatment For Mentally Ill
Stanislaus is the 19th county to implement the law. "It is going to cost some money but, in the end, we will want to get a return on our investment," Supervisor Terry Withrow said.
Modesto Bee:
New Law Offers 'Hope' To Mentally Ill People Who Need Help But Don't Want It
Stanislaus County leaders gave approval Tuesday for trying a Laura's Law program for three years. Supervisors said they overcame skepticism about the California law that authorizes court-ordered outpatient care for people who have resisted treatment for severe mental illness. (Carlson, 4/24)
In other news from across the state —
The Bakersfield Californian:
Public Health Unveils Mobile Clinic To Serve Rural Communities
For years, it's been a burden for some patients to get to the Kern County Public Health Services Department's clinics in outlying regions of the county. In some cases, patients without transportation must walk a mile down Weedpatch Highway from Arvin to get services. In others, like Mojave, patients must pass through metal detectors in a government building to access care — something not everyone is willing to do. Amid budget cuts, it has become harder to fully staff clinics across the county on a full-time basis, Kern County Public Health Director Matt Constantine said. Enter the bus.The gleaming, $330,000, 40-foot-long behemoth, which came by way of Ohio, boasts two exam rooms, an ADA-compliant bathroom and a sleek, contemporary design. (Pierce, 4/24)
Los Angeles Times:
Glendale Clinic Awarded Grant To Expand Dental Care For Underserved
L.A. Care, a public insurance plan that covers more than 2 million people, mostly low-income residents living in Los Angeles County, announced last week it awarded a share of an $800,000 oral health initiative grant to a Glendale nonprofit as a way to boost dental care to underserved people in the area. Comprehensive Community Health Center in Glendale was one of eight healthcare facilities given $100,000 as a way to both fund projects that would increase dental services in areas deficient in that type of care as well as provide dental care to people with developmental disabilities. (Landa, 4/24)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Oakland, East Bay Municipal Utility District Fined $360,000 Over Sewage Discharge
The city of Oakland and East Bay Municipal Utility District must pay more than $360,000 for violating the Clean Water Act by allowing untreated sewage into the San Francisco Bay, officials said Tuesday. In 2014, EBMUD and seven East Bay communities it serves, including Oakland and Berkeley, paid $1.5 million in civil penalties for past sewage discharges. (Ma, 4/24)