Santa Clara County Local News: Crisis & Personal Support

01/25/2022
Despite three hours of testimony criticizing the project, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has approved a plan to build a 500-bed maximum-security jail in San Jose. The county will also explore building a behavioral health treatment facility outside of jail.

12/02/2021
Palo Alto is debuting a new program for mental health crisis that will pair an officer and clinician on a response team. It is known as the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team.

10/27/2021
A mental health pilot program aimed at keeping kids in mental crises from going into police custody has received approval from the town of Los Gatos.

09/21/2021
Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith has been outspoken about the mental health crisis occurring in the local jails. More than 50 inmates are on a wait list for beds in a psychiatric facility.

09/18/2021
With some of the highest suicide rates among Bay Area cities, Los Gatos Union School District has implemented new mental health strategies for its students.

08/19/2021
A Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority employee who witnessed the San Jose mass killing at the VTA light rail yard May 26 has died in an apparent suicide, authorities confirmed.

08/16/2021
A partnership between Santa Clara County and the nonprofits Project Safety Net and Momentum for Health will kick-start a Mental Health First Aid pilot program for high school students in the North County and West Valley.

08/15/2021
Hundreds of bike enthusiasts will compete Sept. 25 in the first-ever Heart of Gold, a 55-mile gravel course race through the Gold Country aimed at raising awareness and funds for mental wellness programs for youth in Nevada County. The race, which begins in Nevada City, should draw as many as 400 racers from around the state.

06/01/2021
As part of a national conversation about whether police are qualified to respond to mental health crises, several Milpitas councilmembers want to explore creating an alternate crisis line for residents to call instead of 911.

05/31/2021
Advocates say demand for care has been up during the pandemic, and services are inadequate.