mental health

Spoke about National Mental Health Day of Prayer, honored Tony Pereyra, and urged the county to restore funding for NAMI Contra Costa.

Shared personal testimony on how NAMI saved his family and life, emphasizing the need for continued funding.

Shared the tragic story of her son Joaquin Anthony Pereyra being killed by police during a mental health crisis and criticized systemic failures in voluntary treatment models.

Discussed cultural barriers and stigma in the AAPI community regarding mental health and urged continued funding for NAMI support groups.

A disabled veteran advocated for increased mental health funding and community support systems.

Discussed fear in the Latino community due to immigration enforcement and the lack of safe spaces for men to heal and address suicide ideation.

Shared personal recovery from severe mental illness with NAMI's help and urged funding for preventative mental health measures.

Emphasized that families shouldn't wait for a crisis to get help and urged continued investment in NAMI mental health resources.

Shared how NAMI saved his life during a mental health crisis and advocated for continued funding.

Spoke as a peer-to-peer teacher at NAMI about the importance of wraparound services and preventing hospital readmission cycles.

Shared family tragedies involving suicide and loss, emphasizing the need for compassion and support.

Offered a prayer for mental health awareness, individuals lost, and financial provision for mental health organizations.

Encouraged the board to invest consistently in community mental health prevention rather than reacting to negative data later.

Expressed concern about supporting individuals expressing suicidal thoughts and the need for safe spaces.

Expressed heartbreak over dwindling NAMI funding and urged board support.

Spoke as a long-time resident and friend of the Pereyra family, criticizing the breakdown of mental health crisis response systems.

Advocated for establishing a multidisciplinary behavioral health task force and implementing SB 43 effectively in memory of Tony Pereyra.

Raised concerns regarding the lack of behavioral health professionals in hospital emergency rooms following a difficult family experience.