Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, January 27, 2018

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2018 SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2018 
SECTION B 


AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY 
BARGER PUSHES FOR LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE 
LIFESAVING MEDICAL CARE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL 

Department of Mental Health-sponsored Amendment to State Law Would AddMedical Treatment to Grave Disability Criteria 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – At their next our work with the most vulnerable and critically 
regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 30, the Board of ill by acknowledging that signs of physical harm 
Supervisors will consider a motion by Supervisors due to self-neglect as a result of serious mental 
Kathryn Barger and Mark Ridley-Thomas to conditions are a rational and objective means for 
sponsor state legislation enabling the county to detecting grave disability,” Sherin added.
provide critical medical care for the mentally ill.On October 31, 2017 the Board of Supervisors 

“More than 830 homeless people died on the approved a motion by Barger that directed DMH 
streets of L.A. County last year. Many of these to work with county agencies, mental health 
deaths were preventable with proper medical advocacy groups, civil rights organizations 
attention,” Barger said. “It’s time for California and other stakeholders to develop legislative 
to join 37 other states who consider medical recommendations. Numerous mental health 
treatment a basic human need for those suffering professionals and advocates voiced support for 
from a mental illness.” Barger’s motion including Dr. Susan Patrovi, 

The legislation would amend the state’s Medical Director of Homeless Healthcare LA, 
definition of gravely disabled pursuant to the Brittney Weissman, Executive Director of NAMI 
recommendation by the Department of Mental Los Angeles County Council and Los Angeles 
Health (DMH), to read, “a condition in which City Councilmember David Ryu.
a person, as a result of a mental health disorder, DMH and its partners engaged stakeholders from 
is unable to provide for his or her basic personal various statewide and local organizations and 
needs for food, clothing, shelter, or medical received overwhelmingly positive feedback on 
treatment where the lack or failure of such modifying the current grave disability standard.
treatment results in substantial physical harm or “Current state law is a one-size-fits-all approach 
death.” This proposed addition (in the underlined to mental illness, which makes it nearly impossible 
section above) is similar to the criteria used in 37 to adequately address the needs of the growing 
states nationwide. number of the mentally ill among the homeless 

“It’s important to realize that individuals with population,” Barger said. “Allowing the most 
co-occurring mental illness and homelessness, vulnerable to languish on our streets without a 
arguably the county’s most vulnerable populations, lifeline is inhumane, and we cannot accept this as 
may account disproportionately for the increased a viable option.”
death rates,” said Dr. Jonathan Sherin, director “Together, we can find an effective approach 
of Los Angeles County Department of Mental to this crisis that will help deliver lifesaving 
Health. treatment and care for those desperately in need,” 
“We can advance our mission by operationalizing she added. 


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