County Briefs: DPH To Expand Student Trainee Opportunity and Feuer Proposes New Independent Redistricting Process

Department of Mental Health Will Expand Student Trainee Opportunities

LOS ANGELES— The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Oct. 18 unanimously approved a proposal by Supervisor Janice Hahn and co-authored by Supervisor Kathryn Barger to expand the number of student trainee opportunities in the Department of Mental Health as a strategy to recruit more mental health professionals to the department.

To meet the mental health needs of our communities, Los Angeles County has committed to expanding available mental health services, including  programs like the Psychiatric Mobile Response Teams or PMRT, Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement or HOME teams, and therapeutic transport vans. The county is also working on expanding the number of mental health beds available to ensure that everyone who needs a space to stabilize and recover from a mental health crisis can get the help they need.

However, the success of these programs is threatened by a shortage of mental health staff. There is a 28% vacancy rate at the County’s Department of Mental Health, and the department is facing challenges in recruitment and retention, at least in part due to the increase in demand for mental health professionals across the nation, state and here in Los Angeles County.

Hahn and Barger’s motion, which passed today, directs Dr. Lisa Wong, the interim director of the county’s Department of Mental Health, in collaboration with the Department of Human Resources, to report back in 90 days with a plan to expand the number of training sites for students in key mental health-related fields to enhance recruitment and retention of mental health clinicians.

City Attorney Mike Feuer Transmits Proposal for New Independent Redistricting Process to City Council

LOS ANGELES — City Attorney Mike Feuer has officially transmitted his proposal for the city council to immediately call a special election in the spring to vote on a charter amendment for an interim independent redistricting process in which the L.A. County Citizens Redistricting Commission or CRC would redraw District lines in 2023. To complete redistricting reform, Feuer is also proposing a charter amendment for the city to create its own independent Redistricting Commission in 2024.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/3e6crekb