Department of Mental Health

Dr. Jonathan Sherin, director of the Department of Mental Health (DMH) for Los Angeles County, is thinking outside the box about ways to optimize mental health by preventing trauma. He sees working closely with the foster care system as critical, and he’s proposing to invest millions of DMH dollars to prove it.

In a unanimous vote, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday passed a motion aimed at improving the experience and outcomes for LGBTQ youth in the child welfare system.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors this week will consider a plan to divert thousands of youths at the point of arrest, shielding up to 80 percent of juveniles in the county from probation and permanent records.

At a meeting of the Los Angeles County Children’s Commission on Monday, several Los Angeles County agencies and advocates described the impact of tightening federal immigration policies on children and families in the county.