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
"Suffering in Silence." Operating a Los Angeles board and care home today
This interview with an amazing couple – Rhoda and Gochin – who have operated a small family-style board and care home in the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles) for the last 22 years, will leave you feeling anxious at the end. And that is the objective: to stimulate not just a sense of urgency, but emergency, to protect precious beds that provide homes for people living with mental illness in our city, in the county, in the state of California.
In this interview, we move past the sterile staff reports that document the steady loss of facilities and beds. These are important statistics (see below for links) but what often is lost is the human impact of this emergency. Through Rhoda and Gochin’s story, you will gain a glimpse into:
- The people who are living in the home, entrusted to their care, who feel safe and secure. What happens to them if this facility closes?
- The families of adult children with mental illness who worry about where their loved one will end up once they pass away and can no longer pay attention to the situation.
- The owner/operators of these facilities, who too often work for free, dip into their personal finances to make ends meet, and as Gochin says, “suffer in silence.”
I am grateful to Rhoda and Gochin who were willing to trust me with this interview. I am also grateful to Barbara Wilson (interview guest in Season Two of this podcast) who is a tireless advocate for saving the board and care system and arranged for the meetings to prepare for this interview.
In this interview, I reference recent reports documenting the state of the board and care crisis:
County of Los Angeles, report issued June 5, 2023.
City of Los Angeles, report issued May 12, 2023.
I reference the petition sponsored by the Los Angeles Residential Care Association (LARCA). Please consider adding your name and sign up for more updates.
I’m also including a link to a recent blog I posted on this topic entitled: Can We Commit to a Net Zero Loss of Board and Care Beds?
Also, just this week, an excellent article appeared in the L.A. Times and references several board and care operators, including Rhoda.
Other articles from the archives:
Here's Why California Housing For Mentally Ill Adults Is Disappearing - capradio.org
Mental Health 'Catastrophe': Few Options for Residents as Care Homes Close | KQED
Homes for people with severe mental illness are rapidly closing. Will help come fast enough? - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
SF rescues homes for elderly, homeless and mentally ill on the verge of closing (sfchronicle.com)