California bill aims to provide mental health services to young gun violence survivors
7 reported1 unconfirmed
A new California bill, the Thrive Act, would create a pilot program to offer mental health resources to people under 25 affected by gun violence, regardless of immigration status. The bill is sponsored by Youth Alive, an Oakland-based gun violence intervention non-profit, and Californians for Safety and Justice. It was prompted in part by a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in Stockton last year that killed three children and a 21-year-old, and injured 11 others. The bill proposes state grants for pilot programs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Solano and Alameda counties, which have high rates of gun deaths. Supporters say the bill addresses a gap in care, noting that about three in five children nationally do not receive mental health services after a firearm injury. The bill recently passed the assembly floor and is under review by the senate health and judiciary committee.
What’s reported
The Thrive Act (Trauma Healing and Resilience Investment for Victimized and Exposed Youth Act) would set up a pilot program for mental health resources for people under 25 who have been shot, lost a family member to gun violence, or witnessed a shooting, regardless of immigration status.
The bill was sponsored by Youth Alive and Californians for Safety and Justice.
It was prompted in part by a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in Stockton last year that killed three children (ages eight, nine, and 14) and a 21-year-old, and injured 11.
Pilot programs would be implemented in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Solano, and Alameda counties.
About three in five children nationally do not receive mental health services after a firearm injury, according to the article.
Firearm violence remains the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the US, with about 5,000 children injured or killed by firearms each year, per University of Texas Medical Branch research.
The bill recently passed the assembly floor and is under review by the senate health and judiciary committee.
Open questions
The article does not specify the total cost of the pilot program or the exact amount of funding needed.
Key figures
Marvin Pérez, 25, gun violence survivor who received counseling from Youth Alive
Gabriel Garcia, policy and advocacy director of Youth Alive
Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, Democrat, co-author of the bill
Assemblymembers Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Mialisa Bonta, and Maggy Krell, Democrats, co-authors
Nicole Kravitz-Wirtz, associate professor at the Centers for Violence Prevention at the University of California, Davis
Sources: The Guardian
