Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
To reduce backlog, state mulls more mental health beds in Norwalk
Listen
• 0:41
Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk plans to expand to more than 1,000 psychiatric patients, helping to alleviate the growing waitlist for beds.
(
Patricia Nazario/KPCC
)
In an effort to alleviate a growing backlog of people awaiting mental health treatment, the state legislature is considering adding 250 beds to Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk.
Last year, lawmakers approved the design phase of the $31 million project, which would bring the total number of beds at Metropolitan to 1,000 by 2018.
Judges order those found too sick to stand trial, not guilty by reason of insanity or a danger to themselves or others to the state hospital system for psychiatric care. But because of the bed shortage, those who are referred can wait several weeks or even months for a placement - often in local jails.
The statewide waiting list, which began about a decade ago, reached 638 patients in May, according to Stephanie Clendenin, chief deputy director of the California Department of State Hospitals.
Support for LAist comes from
"We continue to see an increase of approximately 10 percent per year," she said. "The courts continue to refer more and more patients to us."
"We are activating what we think will be able to address the waitlist at the time, but again the referrals continue to increase beyond what was anticipated," Clendenin said.
No one is sure what's behind the rise in the number of people with mental health issues getting ensnared in the criminal justice system. Earlier this year the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors ordered an investigation into the reasons behind the increase of those turning up in county mental health court.
The long wait times to place some mental health patients in beds prompted the ACLU of Northern California to sue the Department of State Hospitals last year. The case is pending in court.
The Metropolitan State Hospital expansion project envisions repurposing an existing building at the facility to house individuals bussed in from jails. Clendenin called it the "fence project," because it will include the construction of a fence 16 feet high topped with security coils.
Delma Castaneda, who lives nearby, opened her mailbox to find a notice of the construction, but said she didn't know the patient population will expand.
"That’s hiding an issue there that they know is probably going to concern residents," Castaneda said.
Support for LAist comes from
George Lopez, another neighbor, supports the expansion after seeing several buildings on the 160-acre campus remain boarded-up for years. But he also says there should have been more transparency about the project.
"They should have let the community know what’s going on," Lopez said. "Like when they were building the freeway – everybody knew about that."
State and local officials said they are actively doing outreach. The Department of State Hospitals sent flyers to the Norwalk facility's neighbors about the project. And last month, the state published a notice in the local paper, the Norwalk Patriot, advertising a June 1 public meeting on the project - although the item did not mention that the effort will include the addition of 250 beds to the hospital.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars. -
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
Best of LAist