There are an estimated 11.5 million Americans (or nearly 5 percent of the population) living with a serious mental illness. Many families struggle to get care for their loved ones, describing an inhumane system that treats mental illness and the often-concomitant problem of substance use disorder as different than other disabilities.
When California rolled out its 988 mental health crisis response hot line in July 2022, architects believed it would lead to an overhaul of the emergency medical system.
That hasn’t quite come to pass, but most communities across the state have taken steps toward this vision — and some of them have robust systems. Now they are worried about losing them due to looming federal and state budget cuts.
Medically tailored groceries are just one of the more creative methods advocates are using to get food to the most vulnerable Californians, including those who are disabled or elderly.
With federal delays in dispersing SNAP benefits in November and other looming changes, people who work on the front lines of food access say this creativity is essential; it’s an all-hands-on-deck situation.