DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the March 18, 2021 regular meeting.
WHEREAS, For those unable to access care, the criminal justice system has become the default mental health system in California when, in times of crisis, individuals and their families feel they have no option but to call the police for help, and while law enforcement is often the most-relied upon institution during a mental health crisis, providing mental health services or care is not and should not be their role; and
WHEREAS, The Miles Hall Lifeline Act is named for Miles Hall, a 23-year-old African American man who was shot and killed by Walnut Creek officers in 2019 while in the midst of a mental health crisis despite his mother, Taun Hall, having spoken to police officers about her son numerous times over several years; and
WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 988 will implement the new nationwide 988 Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Hotline created last year by the Federal Communications Commission and Congress and create call centers that will connect people calling or texting 988 with trained counselors and dispatch mobile crisis support teams—staffed by mental health professionals and trained peers instead of police officers—to help a person in crisis;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County supports the passage of Assembly Bill 988, the Miles Hall Lifeline Act, and urges the Democratic supermajority in the California State Legislature to pass the legislation and the Democratic Governor to sign the bill into law;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County shall communicate this resolution to members of the State Senate and State Assembly representing any part of Contra Costa County and the Governor of the State of California.
Submitted by: Rebecca Auerbach, Associate Member, District 4
Craig Cheslog, Associate Member, District 2