Media Coverage

At a time when state and local officials ask that we shelter in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the need for a safe and affordable place to live has intensified. But COVID-19 has unveiled that our systems and structures are broken, and for too many Californians, sheltering in place is not an option.

Sacramento County’s aging jail system ordered to release more than 400 inmates over coronavirus concerns

Tenants of a San Jose complex got a letter requesting they report suspected or confirmed coronavirus cases. A lawyer says that’s illegal

Last week, Disability Rights California (DRC), a federally mandated nonprofit organization protecting people with disabilities, sent a letter to the Santa Barbara Office of City Counsel urging swift action to protect Santa Barbara’s inmate population from the spread of COVID-19. 

California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly on Wednesday announced the launch of the California Health and Human Services Agency Behavioral Health Task Force, which will work to address the urgent mental health and substance use disorder needs across California.

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to make it easier for the government to force psychiatric treatment for people with mental illness and expand statewide a still-developing test program that allows officials to more easily take control over those deemed unable to care for themselves.

The streets of Santa Monica are filled with homeless people in desperate need of housing and services, but only those with the most severe mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders can be forced into inpatient treatment.

Neighbors at the Green Lantern Village mobile home park in Westminster continued greeting each other Saturday with the good news: “We will remain. Yes, we will remain.”

Los Angeles County voters have some big decisions to make March 3: Everything from city council seats to the state’s pick for the Democratic presidential nominee will be up for grabs.

A bill languishing in the California Senate for more than one year was blocked by the Health Committee on Jan. 15.

When a government expert in mental health visited one of the largest immigration detention centers in the U.S. in 2017, she knew the conditions that detainees there sometimes face. A past inspection had found that staff often failed to obtain adequate mental health histories, leading to faulty diagnoses and, in some cases, treatment plans that were incorrect.

A bill forbidding “body brokering” in sober living homes — and slapping a $50,000 penalty on each occurrence — was sent back to the drawing board by the Senate Health Committee Wednesday, Jan. 15.

The Board of Supervisors is set to discuss proposed revisions to the budget for the North County Jail project in their meeting on Tuesday, as the project trudges into the New Year tens of millions of dollars over budget and months behind schedule.

State Senator Anthony J. Portantino has accepted Disability Rights California’s legislative award for his continued work to promote greater rights and protections for Californians with disabilities. 

Months after advocacy groups sued the Sacramento City Unified School District for discrimination against students with disabilities and black students, the district and the plaintiffs may seek a settlement.

When the power went out at Vicky Jaque’s house in Santa Clarita last month, she found herself desperately scrambling to save the life of her son.

It took nine months for Jennifer McLelland and her husband, Justin, of Clovis, Calif., to bring their newborn son home from the hospital after his birth in 2011.

One 82-year-old man was stuck in a powerless wheelchair for 36 hours, and an 84-year-old woman was up all night without machines to keep her heart working.

Pasadena Unified has reached a settlement that will spur changes to its special education programs for students with behavioral and mental health disabilities. A key feature of the settlement includes a comprehensive report from an independent expert who will audit the school’s existing programs and recommend, then oversee changes for the next five years to ensure they are made according to the settlement’s terms.

Inmates in California jails and prisons will no longer face medical copays as a barrier to treatment