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

Commentary

Here are 263 reasons to support this gun safety bill. But one is enough

Between 2010 and 2017, stolen firearms were used in at least 60 homicides in California, and 203 youths ended their lives because of unauthorized access to a firearm. AB 276 will hold gun owners accountable by requiring all firearms to be securely stored with Department of Justice-approved firearm safety devices.

By Guest Commentary • March 20, 2019

Newsletters

Anti-vaxxers, treating the mentally ill and poor, and Newsom’s focus—PG&E

Newsom joins battle over fate of PG&E, anti-vaxxers target new hepatitis A bill, gaps in mental health care persist

By Dan Morain • March 11, 2019

Newsletters

Trump’s ‘gag rule,’ mental illness, pensions and damage control

California opens a national Title X battle. Mandated treatment for severe mental illness works, where counties try it. A pension ruling for the status quo.

By Dan Morain • March 5, 2019

Newsletters

Water politics, bee health and CA sues over border emergency

Behind Felicia Marcus' water board ouster, research into bee die-offs, 16 states sue over Trump's border emergency and preventing cancer.

By Dan Morain • February 19, 2019

Newsletters

Newsom stirs high speed rail furor

Newsom's State of the State throws the Central Valley a peace offering on the Delta tunnels, creates high speed rail confusion and offers a big social plan.

By Dan Morain • February 13, 2019

Newsletters

Mental illness, lobbying, and student housing

Mental health care in California, Capitol influence spending, Cal asks if elders with guest rooms can solve student housing and a justice opines.

By Dan Morain • February 4, 2019

photo of Three pistols laying on table with bullets

Commentary

My turn: We can prevent gun violence. Here’s one way

By Mara W. Elliott Mara W. Elliott is San Diego City Attorney, cityattorney@sandiego.gov. She wrote this commentary for CALmatters. Mass shootings and everyday gun violence have become so commonplace in America that many people are losing hope that we can stop the senseless loss of innocent lives. But in collaboration with the San Diego Police […]

By Guest Commentary • December 11, 2018

Newsletters

Weed delivery, school bonds and mental health ‘care’

By Dan Morain • November 2, 2018

Commentary

My turn: Surprising facts of crime and death in California

Demagogues have pushed many whites to fear immigrants and the young. In reality, whites are most violently threatened in areas where racialized anger is strongest. Confronting that reality is one key to forging sane policies and a more cohesive society.

By Guest Commentary • October 28, 2018

Newsletters

Gas tax: Labor’s test for CA Democrats

Proposition 13 turns 40, labor shuns a Democrat over the gas tax, mental illness and ER visits, a lieutenant governor face-off and children's hospitals.

By Dan Morain • October 23, 2018