A new Santa Barbara County Grand Jury Report says law enforcement agencies in the county need to do a better job of dealing with people facing mental health issues.
The Grand Jury started its investigation in the wake of the death of a man in jail who had both physical and mental health issues. The Coroner and DA’s office ruled the death was related to cardiac problems.
But, the Grand Jury says the handling of the man’s mental health issues raised questions about how law enforcement deals with those facing this type of problem.
In its report, the Grand Jury says the jail’s medical staff doesn’t have enough mental health training. It also says services are not available during the overnight hours, but need to be.
It also calls for more training for law enforcement officers in the county, ranging from patrol officers with different departments in the county to jail personnel.
And, the report says agencies need to do a better job of sharing information with each other about community members with mental heath problems.
