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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It’s no surprise that, by several measures, mental health providers are in high demand. But some budding therapists ready to enter the field say state licensing delays are holding them back from providing care. -
Isaias Cervantes was left paralyzed after a deputy shot him during a scuffle. Criminal charges against Cervantes, including assault, have been dropped.
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Anosognosia makes patients “absolutely unaware” of how sick they are and can lead to tragic outcomes.
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In October, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said one-third of people shot by officers up to that point in 2021 were perceived to have a mental illness, up from roughly one-fifth last year.
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Be realistic with your expectations. Express gratitude to yourself and others. Make new traditions while remembering those lost.
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Two people who attended the Once Upon A Time In LA concert at Exposition Park said security guards were handing out wristbands without requiring people to show proof of vaccination or a negative test.
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For many undocumented people in Southern California, the stressors of the pandemic have been an added layer of anxiety on top of an already deeply uncertain world. Surveys reveal a level of distress one mental health expert called “striking” and “heartbreaking.”
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Instead of using the police, the city wants to send out two-person teams made up of a mental health and medical professional to non-violent psychiatric crisis calls in hopes of avoiding arrests, trauma and violence.
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The campaign website includes guidance on how to know if it’s time to get professional help, how to recognize the signs of a mental health crisis, and information on resources for getting help.
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The Antelope Valley nonprofit provides “wolf-based therapy” to youth and others suffering with their mental health. On Monday it broke ground on a $2 million expansion.
