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Listen Listen
Robert Garrova
What I cover
I’m always on the hunt for esoteric history and strange haunts since my first LAist/KPCC internship over a decade ago. And I break down complicated mental health stories in a place where the L.A. County jail is the de-facto mental health institution and the system of care can feel intractable.
My background
I started at LAist as an intern back in 2013. My public media journey includes time directing Marketplace with Kai Ryssdal and being very cold as a reporter in New Hampshire.
My goals
I want my coverage to fascinate and surprise SoCal residents, even the ones who have been here the longest. And I want my mental health stories to help people living with mental illness and their families understand complicated systems of care while feeling less alone in their journey.
Best way to reach me
I would love to hear from you if you have feedback or concerns about Explore LA or mental health stories. You can reach out by email, rgarrova@laist.com
Stories by Robert Garrova
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Amid what experts say is a national dearth of mental health care workers, L.A. County is beefing up efforts to train the next generation of professionals.
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A new song and campaign from First5 CA encourages deep breathing techniques to regulate emotions.
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About two dozen people gathered in downtown L.A. on Thanksgiving morning to pass out razors, toothpaste, soap and plenty of socks to unhoused people.
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A Superior Court judge ruled this month that the county did not explore accommodations for the applicants as required by law.
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Part of the goal of ‘Hollywood 2.0’ is to divert people living with mental illness from psychiatric emergency rooms and in some cases, county jail.
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This was the third time California voters said no to this effort.
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According to an investigation released Thursday by Attorney General Rob Bonta’s Office, Matthew James Sova had 12 separate encounters with police related to his mental health before LAPD officers fatally shot him last year.
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Citing a court-appointed monitor’s latest report on conditions in L.A. County jail, the ACLU sent a letter to L.A. County Supervisors calling on them to make investments required to reduce the jail mental health population.
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From synthesizer soundbaths to outdoor soundscapes, Angelenos are turning to ambient music to find peace and community.
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Proposition 29 would impose new regulations on California's kidney dialysis clinics, most notably that a physician, nurse, or physician's assistant would always need to be on site.
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A statewide survey of some 30,000 Californians reveals an uptick in the number of people reporting serious mental health struggles over pre-pandemic years.
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Between Jan. 2021 and July 2022, Mental Evaluation Unit teams only responded to about one-third of mental health calls that came in. The LAPD partly blames staffing issues at the Department of Mental Health.
