Stressed: An Overwhelming Need For Mental Health Services in Sacramento

Sacramento, Calif. – April 11, 2016: For people struggling with their mental health, there are an increasing number of opportunities to get help. But, as Capital Public Radio's Bob Moffitt reports, the groups working to expand those resources in the Sacramento area say the mental health care system is hamstrung by the lack of adequate psychiatric treatment facilities.

Last year an estimated 10,000 people with mental illness were treated at emergency rooms in Sacramento County. Currently, there are only 150 psychiatric treatment beds in the county.

As part of this three week series beginning April 12, Reporter Bob Moffitt finds out how law enforcement officers are being trained to respond to mental health emergencies and what it's like to be a member of the Sacramento Police Department's "IMPACT Team."  He takes us on a ride along with an IMPACT Team member as she respondes to non-stop calls for mental health crises.

 "The more I talked with people involved, the more I realized how much I and the public don't know about how officers are now trained to respond to people with mental illness and what the options are for those people, " says Moffitt.

 Tune in to Capital Public Radio News during Morning Edition to hear the stories. The series runs April 12-28. You can also find the stories online at capradio.org or on Facebook and Twitter.