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Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson Leads First Hearing of Select Committee on California's Mental Health Crisis

For immediate release:
Committee Room, Members of the committee listening to testimony.

Sacramento - On May 2nd, Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson led the first hearing of the Select Committee on California's Mental Health Crisis. In his opening statement, Assemblymember Jackson highlighted the urgent need to address California's mental health crisis, which has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"California has come out of the pandemic crises and right into a mental health crisis," said Assemblymember Jackson. "Our youth have been particularly impacted as losses from COVID and disruptions in routines and relationships have led to increased social isolation, anxiety, and learning loss."

Assemblymember Jackson also cited statistics from various sources, including the White House and the California Secretary of Public Health, to emphasize the severity of the crisis. He shared his personal connection to the issue, having lost family members to mental illness and addiction, and having experienced anxiety himself.

To guide the committee's work, Assemblymember Jackson posed three key questions: how to break down barriers to stabilize the current population and build long-term infrastructure, how to respond to mental health with the same urgency as physical harm, and how to reduce the stigma associated with mental health.

The hearing consisted of four panels: The State of Mental Health in California, The Children's Mental Health Crisis, Improving Behavioral Health Delivery, and Perspectives from the Field.

Assemblymember Jackson expressed his commitment to taking action in a bipartisan manner to address the urgent moment and find solutions to reduce the devastating effects of mental illness in California.

The Select Committee on California's Mental Health Crisis will hold its second hearing on May 16th at 2pm. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and can view the first hearing at https://www.assembly.ca.gov/media/assembly-select-committee-californias-mental-health-crisis-20230502.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson, please contact District Director/Communications Director, Daniel Peeden at Daniel.Peeden@asm.ca.gov or (951)943-6054.