Advocates push for enhanced behavioral health services in Sacramento

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors meeting on April 15, 2025, highlighted pressing issues surrounding behavioral health services and concerns over government spending.

During the meeting, a speaker emphasized the urgent need for enhanced behavioral health services in the county. They called for a public relations campaign to promote the use of the 988 crisis hotline and the community wellness response team, which has been advocated for by the advisory committee for two years without action. The speaker also raised concerns about the tracking of calls diverted from 911 to 988, questioning whether the sheriff's department is effectively managing mental health calls. They noted that the sheriff's office is currently only arresting individuals during mental health calls and is reluctant to transport them to psychiatric facilities, even when necessary. The speaker criticized the sheriff's office for scheduling a press conference on this issue that was not open to the public, expressing disappointment over the lack of transparency.

Another speaker, Ryan Harris, criticized the Sacramento government for its handling of the Sacramento Capital Annex Project, which is projected to cost over a billion dollars. He highlighted a specific expenditure of $5.2 million for granite to be mined in Central Valley, shipped to Italy for processing, and then returned for use in the project. Harris argued that such spending could be better allocated to support families in need rather than on decorative building materials.

The discussions at the meeting underscored significant community concerns regarding mental health services and government accountability in spending, reflecting a growing demand for transparency and effective resource allocation in Sacramento County.