I probably sound like a broken record at this point:  we need to fix the broken behavioral health status quo. According to new reporting by the Union-Tribune, one strategy that seems to be working is the new CARE Courts.

If you may not remember what that is, it’s a new framework that was brought forth by Governor Newsom in 2022 to “[allow] a wide range of individuals, from family members to first responders, to file petitions on behalf of adults diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders” in order to get folks the help they need, which in some cases may be legally mandated.

The Union-Tribune article about this quotes Dr. Luke Bergmann, Director of Behavioral Health Services for the County: “We’re beginning to see outcomes that are unequivocally positive… the thing that is most exciting about this is that it creates a model for collaboration across different parts of the governmental apparatus that is really new and that is different from any that’s come before.”

Others quoted in the article, like San Diego Superior Court Judge Kimberlee Lagotta and NAMI San Diego CEO Cathryn Nicario, agree with Bergmann that CARE Court has been a success in San Diego thus far.

Let’s keep focusing on strategies that really work to get folks the help they need for the benefit of themselves and our entire community. I know that many of us, myself included, are sick and tired of seeing our brothers, sisters and neighbors suffering so much from substance abuse and mental illness. It's imperative that we continue focusing on ways to make progress on this.

Maura Fox, a reporter for the Union-Tribune, did her “Hike of the Week” column recently at the West Sycamore trail in Mission Trails Regional Park! Fox’s column highlights this route, which is less trafficked than other parts of Mission Trails but is incredible nevertheless.

Speaking of Mission Trails: one more plug for the Mission Trails Regional Park Hike-a-Thon! The Hike-a-Thon is a collaboration between my office, the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation, and the San Diego Parks and Rec Department to raise money for the park. To date, the effort has raised over $22,000. Help the Foundation reach their $100,000 goal by hiking/pledging now through January 15, 2025!

As a Padres season ticket holder, there’s no one more disappointed with the way our season ended than me. Losing to the Dodgers was painful -- but when you zoom out, we should be so proud of what we accomplished this season. After being counted out by so many for the first couple months of the season, we turned it around and made an incredible run. This year’s team definitely would have made Peter Seidler proud.

There was one news story I saw that brought a smile to my face, though, and I hope it brings one to yours too: Channel 10 interviewed Allied Gardens Little League players and asked them for tips ahead of the Dodgers series.

World Design Capital is all about bringing our communities together – and one incredible way it’s doing so is with San Diego Unified students, who partnered with students in Tijuana to create a massive friendship bracelet.

According to San Diego Unified, the friendship bracelet “includes individual links students crafted to artistically embody the concepts of inclusion, belonging, and thriving” and will be on display in Balboa Park.

Love this concept and happy to see that World Design Capital is bringing joy and connection to our communities. When I taught 5th grade, I would have loved for my students to take part in a project like this that broadens their horizons and teaches them important values. To view the full news story about this project, click the link here.

Last week, Nadia, Rafael and I joined the Children’s First Collective for their inspiring #WeChooseCare event, which centered around how to uplift children, youth, and families in San Diego.

One of my guiding principles as a City Councilmember, and as a young father myself, is that San Diego should be a family-friendly city.

That’s why I’m so focused on specific policies that make quality and affordable childcare more accessible in San Diego so that all families can truly thrive. We’ll keep working to achieve that goal until it can become reality.