With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
The LA City Council Wants More LAPD Mental Health Crisis Teams
(Chava Sanchez/LAist)
()
The L.A. City Council wants to explore what it would cost to expand the LAPD’s mental health crisis teams. The council voted today to direct the police department to report back on what it would take.
The LAPD’s Mental Evaluation Unit -- or MEU -- sends out teams of one officer and one clinician from the Department of Mental Health when people are experiencing a psychiatric crisis.
The goal is to defuse situations that could otherwise turn violent, and get the individual treatment instead of sending them to jail.
The problem is, there aren’t enough of these units to respond to all the mental health crisis calls they get.
Support for LAist comes from
In 2019, the MEU was only able to respond to about 40% of roughly 20,000 calls.
And the number of these special teams has gone down over the last five years, from 17 to just 12.
“If we were to have more personnel, that would of course allow us to get to more calls,” Lt. Kelly Muniz, the officer in charge of the MEU, told the Police Commission last month.
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Immigration raids have caused some U.S. citizens to carry their passports to the store, to school or to work. But what documents to have on you depends on your citizenship. -
The historic properties have been sitting vacant for decades and were put on the market as-is, with prices ranging from $750,000 to $1.75 million. -
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it. -
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course. -
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, says payouts could come as quickly as four months after people submit a claim. But accepting the money means you'll have to forego any lawsuits. -
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high.
Best of LAist