Sacramento County expands behavioral health services for residents
SACRAMENTO — A major expansion is in store for psychiatric treatment in Sacramento County.
More people will be eligible for involuntary holds for medical treatment.
Karen Hea is a mother who has lived a real-life nightmare with her son's mental health crisis.
"In the beginning, it was a nightmare," Hea said.
She shared a photo of her with her adult son, Matt Brauer, who is now recovering after a court-ordered conservatorship to treat his double diagnosis of bipolar 1 and schizophrenia.
"We're fortunate that in Matt's case, it ended. It had a happy ending, and not — it could have been the other way around," Hea said.
A booking photo shows Bauer just four years ago before his court-appointed treatment. The difference is dramatic. He was living homeless.
Hea saw her son on TV in the news coverage of his arrest.
"We were grateful to see that yes, he's alive but, you know, it was also heartbreaking that you could clearly see that he needed help," Hea said.
Dr. Ryan Quist is the Sacramento County behavioral health director. He's now in charge of expanding the county's criteria for involuntary detention and treatment to include patients with severe substance use.
State law requires all counties to adopt the new definition by next year. Sacramento County is doing it now and has 566 psychiatric beds for involuntarily holds.
"So that increases the number of individuals who may be able to be held," Dr. Quist said.
For Hea's son, court-ordered treatment has turned his life around — and her's, too.
"The more you can help not just those who are suffering from mental illness but those also with drug addiction, it's life-saving," Hea said. "Really. It really is."
San Francisco and San Luis Obispo counties adopted this new law last year. Sacramento is doing it this year.
The state requires that all counties will need to expand their eligibility for treatment holds by January 1, 2026.
