Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart
The American mental health system is broken beyond repair. Rather than trying to tweak a system which fails everyone, it is time to commit to a bold vision for a better way forward. This podcast explores the American system against the plumb line of an international best practice, recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), in Trieste, Italy. The 40-year old Trieste model demonstrates how a community-based treatment system upholds the human rights of the people served. The Trieste story is anti-institutional and models the therapeutic value of social connection. Topics will address contemporary challenges in the American failed mental health system as contrasted with the Italian approach toward accoglienza – or radical hospitality – as the underpinning of their remarkable culture of caring for people. Interviews will touch upon how the guiding principles of the Italian system – social recovery, whole person care, system accountability, and the human right to a purposeful life – are non-negotiable aspects if we are to have any hope of forging a new way forward in our American mental health system. This podcast is curated and hosted by Kerry Morrison, founder and project director of Heart Forward LA (https://www.heartforwardla.org/). Heart Forward is collaborating with Aaron Stern at Verdugo Sound as the technical partner in producing this podcast (https://www.verdugosound.com). Kerry Morrison is also the author of the blog www.accoglienza.us.
Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart
What leadership looks like: A conversation with L.A. County former D.A. Jackie Lacey and the story behind the Mental Health Blueprint for Change
Jackie Lacey served as District Attorney for Los Angeles County from 2012 to 2020. She was both the first woman and the first black person to serve in this important role. A District Attorney is an elected official, and their role is to represent the people in prosecuting crimes in the county.
In 2014, DA Lacey initiated a committee to look at the nexus of the criminal justice system and mental illness. As you will hear from this interview, she was encouraged and supported and mentored by many people. In particular, she mentions Judge Steven Leifman who is known for his crusading work in this space in Miami-Dade County.
She also gives considerable credit to the Los Angeles chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and their participation in the task force.
The resulting report – Mental Health Advisory Board: A Blueprint for Change -- was issued on August 4, 2015 and was acclaimed as an important guide to move forward on key initiatives to not only change the manner in which crisis response calls are handled by law enforcement (who are really not equipped to play this role in the mental health space) to imagining a different way forward to either divert people struggling with mental illness from the criminal justice system or place them in supportive housing upon release from jail. Among several changes initiated (including a robust Crisis Intervention Training commitment made by the dozens of local law enforcement agencies throughout L.A. County), the Office of Diversion and Re-entry (ODR) was created which has led to positive outcomes in reducing recidivism and stabilizing people leaving the criminal justice system.
As the report states on page one: “the jail environment is not conducive to the treatment of mental illness.”
Heart Forward is grateful that Jackie Lacey displayed the leadership and courage to take this on.