Briefs: Los Angeles County Prioritizes Mental and Physical Health

Hahn Applauds New Agreement between Metro and Department of Mental Health

Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn May 26, applauded an agreement between LA Metro and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health or DMH which will make trained mental health professionals available to respond to mental health crises on the public transit system.

Under the agreement, DMH will pilot up to 10 mobile crisis outreach teams that will operate during Metro hours, seven days a week, to de-escalate situations and provide linkages to appropriate follow-up services including possible 5150 or 5585 involuntary psychiatric evaluation and/or provision of transport to appropriate facility-based care, when needed. DMH will also provide 30 community ambassador network teams to provide outreach and linkages to services to individuals experiencing mental illness within designated areas of the metro system. Finally, DMH will provide Metro transit security and contract security personnel with intervention training to include basic awareness of mental health conditions and de-escalation skills and behaviors for managing a mental health incident.

Los Angeles County Partners With K-12 Schools to Address Diabetes

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health or Public Health is expanding its type 2 diabetes prevention efforts into the classroom in response to an increased prevalence of the disease in the county. The type 2 diabetes and prediabetes prevention toolkit for schools, recently released by Public Health in response to a November 2021 motion by Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis provides K-12 schools with multiple school-based resources to help create environments that support healthy eating and engagement in regular physical activity.

The percentage of individuals diagnosed with diabetes has increased in Los Angeles County over the last decade, from 9.5 percent in 2011 to 11.3 percent in 2018.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/prevention-toolkit