Mental Health

CalMatters and CatchLight are partnering on a three-year initiative to tell powerful stories about mental health in California. We’ll spotlight solutions, personal stories, investigate systems, and bring greater awareness to this historically stigmatized topic. This initiative is supported by:

Enlight Foundation
California Health Care Foundation
Flourish Impact Fund
Lisa Stone Pritzker Family Foundation
Resonance Philanthropies
Sarlo Family Foundation
Sand Hill Foundation
Stuart Foundation

WhatMatters

Newsom: PG&E’s bankruptcy is a ‘godsend’ + Housing bill stalls again

Housing bill stalls again in Legislature. Newsom calls PG&E bankruptcy a "godsend," looks to overhaul behavioral health system.

Dan Morain

• January 30, 2020

WhatMatters

Mental illness as a campaign issue + oil spends big on legislative races + UC drops tuition hike, for now

Candidates open up about impacts of mental illness. Oil companies spend big on upcoming Senate elections. University of California puts off tuition hike.

Dan Morain

• January 22, 2020

The San Ardo Oil Field lies along Highway 101 north of Paso Robles in Central California. Photo by Vicki Haddock for CalMatters

WhatMatters

An attempt to expand mental health care, stepping back from an oil tax, and feeding Stockton

Legislation would expand mental health care. Democrats drop oil tax plan. Alice Waters brings Edible Schoolyard Project to Stockton.

Dan Morain

• January 15, 2020

WhatMatters

Why California is flush, some hard costs of mental illness, and why prison costs rise as inmate population falls

Newsom budget priorities stand in contrast with Trump. Trump tax law helps fill state coffers. Prison costs rise as inmate population falls.

Dan Morain

• January 13, 2020

Inside the Newsroom

CalMatters expands its coverage of health care

Jocelyn Wiener, an award-winning Bay Area journalist with international experience, will join CalMatters to write about Californians and their experience with health care. Wiener worked recently as a freelance writer on a compelling series for CalMatters about mental health. The series, titled “Breakdown,” profiled intimate experiences with suicide, family stress and homelessness as well as the […]

David Lesher

• January 10, 2020

An oil derrick in Bakersfield, Kern County.

WhatMatters

Newsom’s new homelessness proposal, Democrats’ oil tax idea, and why people leave California

More money coming to fight homelessness. Uber changes rules for drivers in response to new law. Census data show why Californians are leaving state.

Dan Morain

• January 9, 2020

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

Mental Health

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

California inches toward making it easier to compel treatment for mental illness, but serious questions remain. Among them: Do treatment options even exist?

Jocelyn Wiener

• December 30, 2019

WhatMatters

Loss for Obamacare nationally. Health care gains in California

Obamacare grows in California but suffers a defeat nationally. Kaiser mental health workers go on strike to protest lack of resources.

Dan Morain

• December 19, 2019

Mental Health

Mental health care outcry targets Kaiser — and state regulators

Striking clinicians — spotlighting complaints that patients with serious mental illness face long waits and inadequate care — lay blame at the doorstep of the state Department of Managed Health Care.

Jocelyn Wiener

• December 18, 2019

WhatMatters

Mental illness, PG&E’s settlement, gun ownership, and fallout from carmakers’ deal with Trump

California fails to achieve parity in mental health care. PG&E reaches settlement with wildfire victims. Study breaks down who owns guns in California.

Dan Morain

• December 9, 2019