By Olivia Biliunas
WOODLAND, CA – In Yolo County Superior Court Wednesday, Deputy Public Defender Alex Kian stated his client has yet to be granted placement in the social services dual diagnosis program because of a long waitlist.
In response, Judge Samuel T. McAdam expressed his frustration not only with this specific case, but pointed out a greater frustration that this is a common problem with people having to wait too long to be placed for treatment in social service programs.
In court, DPD Kian motioned for the accused to be released on SOR/supervised own recognizance (no bail) because the accused finished an alcohol and drug program in jail.
But the judge would not accept that until he has been placed into a dual diagnosis program.
DPD Kian said that the accused has been waiting for multiple weeks to be placed into a social service program and there is a long waitlist for these services, especially for the dual diagnosis program set for the accused.
The accused mentioned he would really like to be released on SOR, but Judge McAdam said that only once he has a placement in the program will he rethink SOR release.
Judge McAdam assigned two weeks to place this man into a dual diagnosis program and added the accused needs to be in the program as soon as possible and that it is the government’s duty.
The judge strongly stated people cannot be waiting six to eight weeks for a bed in dual diagnosis programs. He expressed the court has no leverage and is frustrated at how easy it is to get a bed at a State Hospital, yet they end up waiting for treatment in situations like this.
Pam Marino from the Monterey County Weekly wrote, “The problem is there just aren’t enough psychiatric beds available in California. And on any given day, case workers at hospitals in Monterey County are performing a Sisyphean task, making call after call to psychiatric facilities up and down California looking for an open bed.”
She continued, adding “one study puts the shortage of beds in California at just over 4,700. In March, Gov. Gavin Newsom stated there was a shortage of approximately 6,000 psychiatric beds.”
