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Contra Costa board proclaims African American Mental Health Awareness Week; marks Miles Hall and Tyrell Wilson days of remembrance
Summary
The Board of Supervisors presented a proclamation recognizing African American Mental Health Awareness Week and announced remembrance days for Miles Hall and Tyrell Wilson; families and advocates urged expanded alternatives to police for mental‑health crises.
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 4 proclaimed African American Mental Health Awareness Week and declared Feb. 15 as Miles Hall Day of Remembrance and March 8 as Tyrell Wilson Day of Remembrance.
The board presentation, introduced by Supervisor Gigi Crowder (presenting for the agenda item), acknowledged county efforts including the African American Holistic Wellness Hub and the A3/Miles Hall call center, programs aimed at improving alternatives to law enforcement responses for people in mental health crisis. Crowder said county funding and partnerships had helped expand services and emphasized the need to reduce criminalization of people living with mental illness.
Family members who lost loved ones spoke at the meeting. Ton Hall, mother of Miles Hall, thanked county leaders for supporting programs established after her son's death and said the work was motivated by the goal of keeping people out of confrontations with police during crises. "Our mission is to protect those most impacted by access to mental health and by excessive use of force by law enforcement," Ton Hall said. She also noted state law AB 988, the Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act, which requires counties to implement mobile crisis response within two years.
Other speakers included community advocates and family members who urged continued investment in mental‑health crisis alternatives and commemorated the lives of Miles Hall and Tyrell Wilson. Supervisor Chanel Scales Preston thanked NAMI and community partners for their work and urged removing stigma around mental health in the African American community, saying people need a combination of faith, medical care, therapy and advocacy.
"We want better health alternatives rather than police when someone's having a mental health crisis," Ton Hall said.
The board presented a proclamation and took photographs with families and advocates. Officials said the presentation would be brief and that the county remains committed to expanding the A3 program and other crisis‑response resources.
