HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10212014 - D.2
D.2
Board of Supervisors
Contra Costa County
Date: October 21 2014 Public Comment
Peggy Kennedy, resident of San Ramon, spoke on the advantages of adopting Laura's Law (Assisted
Outpatient Treatment). She said that in Nevada County, it's implementation significantly reduced
hospitalizations, re-arrests and homelessness in the mentally ill population. Ms. Kennedy requested that the
Board delay approval of the Mental Health SA 3 Year Plan until funding for a full 37 person AOT program
has been incorporated into the plan;
Douglas W. Dunn, resident of Antioch, spoke on using Laura's Law funding to establish region specific
mobile crisis teams to reduce costs and service pressures on the EMS system for ambulance transport of
5150 calls (handout attached);
Mark M. Cohen, Contra Costa National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), spoke on the costs and
lessening resources available for mental health services, noting that saving money in the short term ends in
higher expenses in the long run. He supports implementation of Laura's Law because it is non-coercive,
but offers an opportunity to help not punish the individual;
Debra Hawkes, Registered Nurse, did not speak today, but left written comments for the Board's
consideration in regard to challenges in nurse staffing in the Emergency Department of the Contra Costa
Regional Medical Center (attached).
THIS IS A MATTER FOR RECORD PURPOSES ONLY
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN
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