Sonoma County has a chronic shortage of psychiatric hospital beds. As as a result, a growing number of mentally ill residents are ending up in local emergency rooms and in the jail system. A four-part series, run on four consecutive Sundays, examines the causes and ramifications of the current state of the county's mental health system, and the people who are impacted the most.
Aug. 6 - Hospitals:
The closure of two psychiatric hospitals in Sonoma County has left a gaping hole.
Aug. 13 - Jail:
The Sonoma County Jail has become the largest psychiatric treatment facility in the county.
Today - Solutions:
Sonoma County explores ways to improve services to people suffering from severe mental illness.
Aug. 27 - Your response:
Readers share their stories about Sonoma County's mental health system.
Ongoing coverage:
www.pressdemocrat.com/crisiscare
Share your story
We want to hear about your experience with local psychiatric emergency services. What do you do when you or a loved one faces a mental health crisis? Have you or a loved one sat in a hospital bed waiting to be transferred to an out-of-county psychiatric hospital or other mental health facility? Have you or a loved one received psychiatric services in the Sonoma County Jail's mental health unit? Please send a brief account of your experience to Martin Espinoza at martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: