UpFront

Gas prices surge; California’s proposed mental health courts; and psychosomatic syndromes

Governor Gavin Newsom announces CARE Court plans on March 3rd | Press Conference

0:08 – Gasoline prices have been surging around the US, and higher gas prices can disproportionately impact lower income families. California has the highest gasoline prices in the nation. Jamie Court (@raisinghellnow), President of Consumer Watchdog, is backing a California senate bill that would increase required financial disclosures by refiners in California, which would shed more light on those companies ability to price-gouge and price-fix.

0:34 – California Governor Gavin Newsom announced earlier this month a new statewide plan to engage people suffering from mental health crises. The plan, called CARE Court, would create a new civil court mechanism that would force people into treatment without their consent. San Francisco-based Senior and Disability Action is against the proposal – Raia Small, an SDA community organizer speaks with us about why their organization opposes the governor’s proposal.

0:46 – Daniela Kantarova, a supervising psychologist and consultant at the Wright Institute and Program Coordinator of Mental Health First, Oakland, joins us to continue the conversation about the state’s CARE Court plan, how it relates to the tragic James Ramsey case, and how we already have successful care plans that don’t use coercion, but need more funding.

1:08 – As of early February, San Francisco had 888 vacant permanent supportive housing units and 1,633 people approved to move into them, who were still living outdoors. We’re joined by Nuala Bishari (@TheBestNuala), a reporter for San Francisco Public Press and a ProPublica fellow, who wrote this expose in February.

1:33 – Suzanne O’Sullivan (@suz_osullivan), neurologist and author of The Sleeping Beauties: And Other Stories of Mystery Illness, joins us to discuss culture-bound psychosomatic syndromes—specific sets of symptoms that exist in a particular culture or environment—that affect people throughout the world.

Playlist

Artist Song Album Label
HarleighbluWho's That Girl?Tru Thoughts Covers, Vol. 2BELIEVE - Tru Thoughts
MONDO GROSSOIntermezzo SunNext Wave (Next Wave)