Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo Commemorates World Mental Health Day by Spearheading Inaugural Mental Health Resource Fair at Occidental College

LOS ANGELES - Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo commemorated World Mental Health Day by providing the students at Occidental College and the Northeast Los Angeles community her Office’s first-ever Mental Health Resource Fair. The inaugural event raised awareness of mental health issues and provided resources like on-site psychological counseling and meditation sessions at no cost to the community. The focus was to ensure that mental health resources are readily available to communities where they need them the most, to destigmatize mental health, and to acknowledge that mental health is wellness.

“This is our first-ever World Mental Health Day forum, right here in the community, ensuring that mental health resources are available front and center. Twenty-three organizations partnered with our Office from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to ‘End Overdose,’” said Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-52). “Throughout our work in the Legislature and our community, mental health awareness and resources are incredibly critical, especially when it comes to young people feeling safe. Events like these are important to take away the stigma behind mental health and, most importantly, acknowledge that mental health is wellness and health care. It’s an ability for us to live our full and best lives.”

Over the past few years, California has invested close to $10 billion to create a behavioral health care system that ensures fast and easy access to mental health and other related services for children, youth, and adults. In addition to investments made at the state level, Assemblywoman Carrillo has authored and worked on legislation dedicated to providing equitable access to mental health resources. This year, the Governor signed into law AB 665, authored by Assemblywoman Carrillo, which ensures that mental health access is available to all young people by finally including Medi-Cal recipients to an existing ten-year-old policy that has only been available to those with private insurance. In 2022, she authored AB 748, which was also signed into law, and ensures that middle and high school students have crucial information about mental health resources readily available through posters detailing common mental health symptoms around school sites and campuses.

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About Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo

Assemblywoman Carrillo was elected to serve in the State Assembly in December 2017. She represents the 52nd Assembly District, which includes East Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, and South Glendale. She serves as the Chair of the Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration, in addition to the Assembly Committees on Appropriations, Health, Housing and Community Development, Utilities and Energy, Budget Subcommittee No. 6 on Budget Process, Oversight and Program Evaluation, and the Joint Committees on Legislative Budget, and Climate Change Policies. She also serves as the Chair of the Select Committee on Latina Inequities, Vice Chair of the Legislative Progressive Caucus, Commissioner for the California Film Commission, Commissioner for the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, and Member of the California Cultural and Historical Endowment Board.