Breakdown: Mental Health

California poised to become national leader on mental health and addiction coverage

by Jocelyn Wiener August 27, 2020September 25, 2020

A bill that is expected to clear the Legislature this week would significantly expand what treatments are considered medically necessary for health insurance coverage.

Teresa Pasquini looks into the foyer of her home where her son, who has schizoaffective disorder, once attempted suicide before being discovered by his younger sister. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

‘Go on Medi-Cal to get that’: Why Californians with mental illness are dropping private insurance to get taxpayer-funded treatment

by Jocelyn Wiener July 31, 2020September 17, 2020

A homeless person in a wheelchair on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. The has struggled with how to provide care for people with mental illness, but a new state audit says the solution isn't lowering the criteria for compelling mentally ill Californians to get treatment. Photo by Damian Dovarganes, AP Photo

Audit: Don’t make it easier to force mentally ill Californians into treatment — just improve treatment

by Jocelyn Wiener July 28, 2020July 28, 2020

Elizabeth Cope, Mental Health Clinical Supervisor with the Home Outreach Team, conducts outreach and distributes information regarding COVID-19 during a resource fair at Lario Park, March 24, 2020. Photo by Los Angeles County via Flickr

“This is a pandemic of trauma. Everybody is feeling the pain…”

by Barbara Feder Ostrov July 21, 2020July 28, 2020

Taun Hall stands on the porch of her Walnut Creek home next to a green ribbon, the international symbol for mental health awareness. She and some of her neighbors display the ribbons in remembrance of her son, Miles, who was killed last year by Walnut Creek police during a mental health crisis. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Who responds to nonviolent crises? New urgency to remove police from the equation

by Jocelyn Wiener July 1, 2020July 2, 2020

Watch: Taking care of your mental health during the pandemic

by CalMatters staff April 8, 2020April 9, 2020

Before the latest accident left him critically injured, Mark Rippee ate a snack of rolls and coffee on November 22, 2019 in Vallejo. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

After accident they warned about, sisters of mentally ill man blame the state — and beg governor to act

by Jocelyn Wiener February 26, 2020February 26, 2020

A pedestrian walks past a homeless sleeping on Fifth Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. Photo by Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group

Inside the governor’s bid to fix homelessness: changing how California deals with mental illness

by Jocelyn Wiener February 19, 2020February 19, 2020

Mark Rippee, who developed schizophrenia after a traumatic brain injury, has been living on the streets for years

“We’ve lost our compass.” For California’s most visible mentally ill, is a return to forced treatment a solution — or a false promise?

by Jocelyn Wiener December 30, 2019September 17, 2020

Dozens of mental healthcare workers picket outside of Sacramento Medical Center to protest long wait times for patients and overwhelming case-loads at Kaiser Permanente facilities. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Mental health care outcry targets Kaiser — and state regulators

by Jocelyn Wiener December 18, 2019September 17, 2020