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California State of Mind

Welcome to California State of Mind. A place for news about the mental health crisis — and what people are doing to address it. State of Mind is published by Steinberg Institute, a nonprofit working for sound policy on mental health issues, and edited by journalist Rob Waters.

Scott Wiener Takes Helm of California Senate Mental Health Caucus

Scott Wiener Takes Helm of California Senate Mental Health Caucus

With pandemic magnifying need, San Francisco Democrat sees ‘enormous momentum for aggressive mental health legislation’

Feb 17

A road map from our nation’s experts to transform the mental health system

A road map from our nation’s experts to transform the mental health system

OpEd reprinted from Newark Star-Ledger

Stateofmindcontributor

Dec 16, 2020

Op-Ed: Learning from the pandemic about what works against homelessness

Op-Ed: Learning from the pandemic about what works against homelessness

Reprinted from the Los Angeles Times, Dec. 4, 2020

Stateofmindcontributor

Dec 5, 2020

Exit Interview: State Senator Jim Beall on fighting for mental health change

Exit Interview: State Senator Jim Beall on fighting for mental health change

Termed-out San Jose leader talks about his years in state legislature and the politics of mental health

Nov 17, 2020

Governor Signs Nurse Practitioner Law, Takes Another Step to Expand California’s Mental Health…

Governor Signs Nurse Practitioner Law, Takes Another Step to Expand California’s Mental Health…

Another bill aimed at boosting the California health and behavioral health workforce — and another important piece of the Steinberg…

Sep 30, 2020

Governor Newsom Signs Mental Health Bills, Strengthening Parity Laws and Expanding Use of Peers

Governor Newsom Signs Mental Health Bills, Strengthening Parity Laws and Expanding Use of Peers

When Monica Vera-Schubert’s son Bobby had his wisdom teeth pulled at the age of 15, he was prescribed Vicodin by a dentist. The next year…

Sep 25, 2020

Q&A: Darrell Steinberg’s longtime focus on mental health

Q&A: Darrell Steinberg’s longtime focus on mental health

BY SIGRID BATHEN first published in Capitol Weekly, reprinted with permission

Stateofmindcontributor

Sep 18, 2020

Moms Helping Moms: Peer-to-Peer Effort Aims to Ease Postpartum Suffering (and Save Money)

Moms Helping Moms: Peer-to-Peer Effort Aims to Ease Postpartum Suffering (and Save Money)

Crystal McAuley’s first pregnancy was not an easy one. She had severe pelvic pain and complications, and doctors tried to induce delivery…

Sep 17, 2020

This Mental Health Consumer Helped Bring Peer Support to Top US Health Insurer.

This Mental Health Consumer Helped Bring Peer Support to Top US Health Insurer.

Interview with Susan Bergeson, former Optum VP

Sep 3, 2020

Editorial reprinted from San Francisco Chronicle

Editorial reprinted from San Francisco Chronicle

Spotty mental health and addiction care worsens COVID pandemic’s impact

Stateofmindcontributor

Aug 27, 2020

Op-Ed: Mentally ill people in desperate need of treatment often don’t get it because of antiquated…

Op-Ed: Mentally ill people in desperate need of treatment often don’t get it because of antiquated…

By JONATHAN SHERIN AND DARRELL STEINBERG, reprinted from the Los Angeles Times

Stateofmindcontributor

Aug 20, 2020

To Meet a ‘Tsunami’ of Need, a Daring Proposal to Train Thousands of Lay Mental Health Workers

To Meet a ‘Tsunami’ of Need, a Daring Proposal to Train Thousands of Lay Mental Health Workers

Taking a lesson from the developing world

Aug 7, 2020

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