
Robert Garrova
I cover mental health at a time when L.A. — and the nation — is failing people who live with a serious mental illness. The L.A. County jail system is the de-facto mental health institution for our region, and people who want help with their mental health often can’t get it, even if they can afford it. I’ll work to help Angelenos understand how we got here and what reforms aim to change things. I’ll do this through the stories of people struggling with their own mental health and those trying to get care for a loved one.
My reporting has taken me to the edge of wildfires in California, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, steps away from a robot that’s now exploring Mars, and into the homes of countless Angelenos.
I’ve had many jobs in radio. I used to help produce and direct the flagship show for Marketplace, a daily business and economic news show. I also spent a couple years in the Northeast working as a reporter. I found my love of audio journalism while interning on LAist's (formerly KPCC’s) Off-Ramp in 2013.
I was born and raised in SoCal. I’m most proud when my journalism can help raise the voices of people struggling in this beautiful region stricken by inequality.
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The Farm Aid hotline now offers mental health resources through its first Spanish-language operator.
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According to the motion, the designation of the space for mental health treatment beds is crucial to the county coming into compliance with two provisions laid out in a federal settlement agreement.
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The long-awaited report — still a draft — makes multiple recommendations on how to reduce bad outcomes during traffic stops.
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Callers dealing with a psychiatric emergency say they sometimes have to wait hours or even an entire day to get help.
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Edward Bronstein died in March 2020 while officers were forcibly taking a blood sample after his detention.
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County supervisors agreed Tuesday to find more funding for the Office of Diversion and Reentry.
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The site of the former Rockhaven Sanitarium was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2016 “as one of the best extant examples of an early twentieth century woman-owned, women-serving private sanitarium in the State.”
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Recommendations include reconsidering pretext stops and reevaluating the whether its necessary to handcuff severely injured people.
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The continued pressure stems from an emergency filing by the ACLU that alleged “abhorrent” conditions at downtown L.A.'s Inmate Reception Center.
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It’s yet another case that raises concerns about police response to mental health crises and puts the spotlight on the barriers to mental health care for L.A.’s immigrant community.