L.A. County Supervisor Barger Hails Record Investment in Mental Health Amid Rising Concerns

Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Pasadena on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors,  has praised the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Officer’s unveiling of a $45.4 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, particularly applauding the allocation of over $728 million for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.

In a statement released Tuesday, Barger emphasized the significance of this investment, highlighting its potential to address pressing social issues facing the community.

“This budget proposal rightfully doubles down on heavily investing in homelessness and mental health solutions,” Barger said. “We’re on the right path, and I believe those investments will have ripple effects that keep our communities safer.”

Barger also emphasized the hiring of over 450 new workers for the Department of Mental Health marks a significant commitment to tackling homelessness and providing essential mental health services to those in need.

“We will be ready to hire and deploy a new army of mental health clinicians, substance abuse counselors, outreach workers, and compassionate housing navigators,” Barger said.

This staffing increase represents the largest granted to any of the county’s 38 departments, she explained.

Barger said the hiring efforts will also benefit municipal partners, who almost exclusively rely on the County to respond to crises occurring in their respective cities. Recent incidents of violence – including a fatal stabbing at a Metro station – underscore the urgent need to address the prevalence of mental illness in public spaces.

On Monday morning, a woman in her 60s died after she was stabbed on the southbound train before exiting at the Universal City B Line Station at 3901 Lankershim Blvd. in Los Angeles, close to Universal Studios. The suspect, a homeless 45-year-old man, has been arrested and charged with murder. The Los Angeles Police Department said the victim and the suspect in this apparently unprovoked attack did not know each other.

“The daily reports of violence in our county are evidence that mental illness is rampant on our streets,” Barger said. “We must step up our efforts to meet those needs. Doing so will increase public safety and improve the quality of life in our county for everyone.”