No one help me when my child was in crisis, except to hospitalize left me with no resources. El Camino Hospital and ambulance billed me over 24,000. In a span of 2 years. With no psychiatric help its been a battle since.
Still my child suffers with drugs and alcohol .

Thank you, Supervisor Simitian, for speaking out and taking on this important issue. Your work is highly valued.

Thank you so much Supervisor Simitian for leading the effort to bring youth inpatient mental health care to Santa Clara County. In 2014, I was shocked when I took my then-17 yr old son to a local ER for treatment during a major depressive episode only to be told that they would have to "call around" to find somewhere that would "take" my son. Six hours later, he was sent out-of-county by ambulance. Our county's extraordinary medical institutions must come together to treat children who suffer from illnesses of the mind with the same care that they provide to youth with physical illnesses. Now, with the support of our Board of Supervisors, these providers are in a position to create a meaningful continuum of care for our children. Thank you in advance to all our wonderful hospitals and nonprofits who will step forward to provide mental health care to the youth of Santa Clara County.

Ben- Please come to Parent Chat this Tuesday evening at 7 at the the Los Altos Library. It's a free, peer-to-peer led support group for parents/caregivers of children and young adults who have mental health, behavioral and emotional issues. I would also encourage you to attend a Al-Anon meeting as well to connect with others whose loved ones have substance abuse issues.