Here are five things that caught my attention!
Behavioral Health Services: In our recent State of the County address, I talked a lot about how we’ve been fundamentally re-imagining how we help those dealing with substance abuse and mental health crises. This week marked another big step forward, as we opened a new Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) in Oceanside. We’ve now opened 6 crisis stabilization units across the County with dedicated services to help those struggling with behavioral health issues get the help they need, and reduce the strain on our emergency rooms. Along with the increase in in-patient psychiatric beds, Mobile Crisis Response Teams, Community Harm Reduction Teams, the patient-centered care coordination system, the Behavioral Health Hub, and many other changes, we are building a new system of care that is finally meeting the needs of the region, after decades of neglect. More to come!
Jury duty: Last week, I got a summon for jury duty and I wasn’t upset. I enjoy jury duty–a whole day you can clear your meetings and although I have always gotten kicked off, I hold out hope to actually serve one day on a jury. But I know not everyone views it so favorably. This Florida lady went to extraordinary lengths to avoid jury duty telling the judge that serving on a jury would create severe financial hardship because although married, she depended on her “sugar daddy” and had to see him daily.
Veterans: Last week, I was in DC and this week DC came to San Diego! We welcomed Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough to town and I joined him and Congressman Mike Levin for a roundtable discussion with veteran leaders. Dennis McDonough served President Obama as Chief of Staff (one of the longest serving in history) and, as a veteran, I am grateful he is willing to fight for those who served. His reputation as an effective leader who can drive an agenda was on full display. But more than that, he showed a deep interest in hearing from those on the front lines, helping Vets, an intimate knowledge of VA programs, and a strategic vision for positioning the VA in the strongest position to serve our veterans into the future.
Random tip for your kids: Last week, I shared about my trip to DC (with a humble brag picture at the White House). I did my first trip to Washington DC in 8th grade and had to walk door to door begging for money to fund my trip. I had an amazing experience and I’ll never forget a Capitol tour guide giving me a great tip for spelling the Capitol in our nation's capital correctly: The capitol building has a round dome–like the letter O, which is why the building is Capitol and city is capital.
Documentary I recommend: The Invisible Pilot on HBO is truly wild. An Arkansas crop duster gets busted for drugs and, instead of taking a prison sentence, fakes his own death and goes on the run. He ends up smuggling drugs for Pablo Escobar and then smuggling guns for the CIA (guns go to Central America, cocaine comes back). He ends up in federal prison, outed for not really being dead and became a central figure in the Iran Contra scandal! He is quite a charming character, but the impact on his family (and the gun and drug smuggling) makes him not so sympathetic a person.