Connecting Our Community: News & Updates

Los Angeles County is home to vibrant indigenous Central American and Mexican communities, including the largest populations of Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Oaxacans. Residents speak at least 36 distinct languages, reflecting a rich tapestry of cultural heritage. For 25 years, the Mundo Maya Foundation, a dedicated local nonprofit, has worked tirelessly to preserve cultural knowledge, celebrate identity, and promote wellbeing among these communities.

Thanks to the ARISE Division’s Underserved Cultural Communities (UsCC) Latino Subcommittee projects, Mundo Maya has engaged over 400 individuals in sacred Mayan ceremonies and healing circles. The organization has surveyed and convened more than 200 cultural leaders and community members, producing impactful public service announcements that have reached over 85,000 Maya K’iche, Chinantec, Zapotec, and Spanish speakers.

The project addresses critical issues such as fear, separation, loss, immigration, suicide, addiction (including chemicals, electronic games, and smartphones), bullying, and domestic violence. An observer remarked, “Offering emotional support in language, showing genuine presence in a culturally respectful way, and creating a space for dignity made all the difference. This wasn’t just a project — it was a shared healing experience.”

Mundo Maya defines ‘Maya’ as “without pain.” For indigenous community members, listening and speaking are sacred acts that foster cultural identity, acceptance, and belonging.

Click here to learn more about Mundo Maya’s healing circles. To explore the organization’s mission of empowering Latino and indigenous immigrant communities through education and civic engagement, visit: mundomayafoundation.com. For information on LACDMH’s UsCCs, go to: dmh.lacounty.gov/about/mhsa/uscc.

On June 12, LACDMH was invited to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for 600 San Pedro, L.A.’s largest permanent supportive housing development to date. Led by Kevin Murray, President and CEO of the Weingart Center Association, many showed up to provide support, including L.A. City Mayor Karen Bass, L.A. County 1st District Supervisor Hilda Solis, and more. After the acknowledgements, there was a tour of the building to view the inside of the beautiful units. The brand-new, 17-story building features over 300 fully furnished units, including mobility-accessible and sensory-impairment units. Special thanks to the Weingart Team for making this possible and sharing this wonderful achievement with us. Referral agencies may submit applications to 600SanPedro@barkermgt.com or (714) 221-5618.

Over 80,000 Los Angeles County residents who are blind and visually impaired may lack access to the great outdoors; and miss experiencing the immense beauty of our local mountains, parks and coastal areas. A recently completed capacity-building project by LACDMH’s ARISE Division’s Access for All Underserved Cultural Communities (UsCC) set out to create safe opportunities and increase the blind and visually impaired community’s access to healthy recreation and mental wellness resources in Los Angeles County.

The highly successful capacity-building project, Expanding Mental Wellness Opportunities for People Who Are Blind and Low-Vision, filled an unmet need. The project’s awarded contractor, Hearts for Sight Foundation, is led and staffed by people with lived experience. This nonprofit organization’s mission is “to break down barriers to health and fitness that restrict the blind and visually impaired, so that they may pursue physical, mental, and emotional wellness.” Well-attended programs offer nutrition counseling, adaptive fitness, individual and group mental health services, and community engagement.

Many blind and visually impaired individuals experience social isolation and daily economic challenges, and depression and anxiety is common in this community. Hearts for Sight sought to reduce these barriers and increase opportunities for wellness. The organization provided transportation and support for nearly 50 participants to participate in a series of guided hikes, nature socials, picnic lunches, games, writing exercises, and discussions. Hearts for Sight staff rooted motivational discussions in Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, where the five levels were explored: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Participants reflected upon their behavior and prioritized areas for personal growth. Mental wellness discussions offered participants support and encouragement to make connections with each other and engage fully in the outdoors experiences together.

One participant shared the following powerful testimony:

I have been a Hearts for Sight participant for about four years, but mostly kept to myself, as I am quite introverted. Since joining the Hearts for Sight-LACDMH program, I have felt compelled to not only show up but to open up and share my perspectives and struggles. This has been not only therapeutic for me but energizing and refreshing since events are held in a peaceful, natural setting outdoors. As someone with much anxiety and other mental health issues, I feel at ease and welcomed at these events as staff and volunteers ensure our safety and comfort. The support and encouragement I receive from such events provides me the needed strength to seek a fuller, active lifestyle. I am truly grateful to Hearts for Sight and LACDMH for promoting a space to engage in discussions to promote a healthy mind despite our physical challenges.

This transformational project strengthened the capacity of Hearts for Sight to advance its mission. The organization is currently planning a series of activities focusing on the arts and mental health in the blind and visually impaired community. Visit heartsforsightfoundation.org. For more information on the Access for All UsCC, please visit: dmh.lacounty.gov/about/mhsa/uscc/access-for-all-uscc.

Submitted by ARISE Division.

In April 2023, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) was awarded $97.5 million from the California Department of Social Services to implement the Community Care Expansion (CCE) – Preservation program, with an additional $11.2 million in Mental Health Services Act funds secured as the required local match.

Established by Assembly Bill 172, the CCE program provides $805 million statewide to acquire, construct, and renovate licensed adult and senior care facilities serving low-income individuals, including those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The Preservation program includes two components: Capital Projects (CP) for facility upgrades, and Operating Subsidy Payments (OSP) to support ongoing operations. DMH partnered with the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) to administer the capital projects portion. On January 22, 2024, LACDA released a funding solicitation in partnership with DMH.

In August of 2024, Homes for Life Foundation (HFLF) was awarded CCE – CP funds for its Harvest House

Adult Residential Facility. Since opening on December 11, 1991, Harvest House has provided essential residential care for individuals living with mental illness in Service Area 7. With CCE funding, the facility underwent critical renovations including a new roof, energy-efficient windows, modern HVAC system, new flooring, and widened hallways and bathrooms to better accommodate residents with mobility challenges.

Thanks to this investment, Harvest House is not only upgraded for long-term sustainability, but continues to fulfill its mission: providing healing, hope, and a lasting home for life.

“The funding for these upgrades is God-sent,” said Carol Liess, Executive Director, HFLF. “With summer approaching, residents will now enjoy a cooler, more comfortable living environment, and the accessibility improvements mean residents with disabilities can navigate their home with greater ease and dignity.”

Maria Funk, Ph.D., LACDMH Deputy Director, Housing and Job Development, said, “These funds represent an investment in a shared future; one where residential care is not only available and accessible, but thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of our clients and rooted in our communities long into the future. DMH is thankful for our participating CCE facilities and our partnership with the Los Angeles County Development Authority, who has played an integral role in administrating the CCE – CP, ensuring that these renovations are completed quickly and with minimal disruption to residents.”

In April, Harvest House welcomed back residents, who were thrilled to see the new upgrades and partake in the decoration of their new living space.

CCE – Capital Projects: More Impact on the Way

• 24 facilities to be upgraded across L.A. County
  • 11 contracts executed
    • Two facility renovations complete
    • Nine facilities currently in construction
  • 13 pending contract execution
• 1,108 total beds to be preserved
• Hundreds of residents with SMI now have ongoing access to housing and care

For more details, please visit ccegrant.com.

On June 1, the City of West Hollywood kicked off Pride Month with its annual WeHo Pride Parade — and LACDMH was proud to be part of it. Marching alongside over 100 organizations, LACDMH staff brought energy, creativity, and care as they made their way down Santa Monica Boulevard toward the City’s Rainbow District.

Our vibrant float featured LGBTQIA2-S+ flags, colorful balloons, and ten original artworks hand-painted by LACDMH staff from all eight Service Areas, the ARISE (Anti-Racism, Inclusion, Solidarity, and Empowerment) Division, and our Transition Age Youth (TAY) community. Following the float, staff carried banners representing Countywide Programs, LGBTQIA2-S+ Champions, and Service Areas 1-8.

LACDMH also hosted a wellness table where staff shared mental health resources, passed out free giveaways, and invited participants to plant a seed in soil — a simple, symbolic way to reflect on growth, healing, and tending to one’s mental health.

Since 2011, mental health promoters, serving as independent contractors, have conducted outreach and engagement, educational workshops, and linkage and referrals with underserved Spanish-speaking families and community groups throughout Los Angeles County as part of the Promotores de Salud Mental Health Program. This Spanish-language program with contractors is going to sunset on June 30, 2025.

Successes and lessons learned from the Spanish language program informed the development of the current program, currently comprised of over 100 LACDMH staff in the Anti-Racism, Inclusion, Solidarity & Empowerment (ARISE) Division. In 2020, the Board of Supervisors voted to expand the program, becoming the United Mental Health Promoters and reaching additional communities of Los Angeles County, including Black/African Heritage, Asian Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, Eastern European/Middle Eastern, LGBTQIA2-S, and Individuals with Disabilities.

This multicultural, multilingual workforce serves diverse communities with heart. Promoters conduct outreach, assist with events, facilitate 90-minute workshops on 13 key topics in mental health, reducing stigma, and increasing access to care. These resourceful, dedicated staff build trust with community members, speak the same language, and share their passion for mental wellness.

For more information on the United Mental Health Promoters Program, please visit: dmh.lacounty.gov/mental-health-resources/united-mental-health-promoters.

Submitted by LACDMH ARISE Division

The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health’s (LACDMH) Gloria Mendez, Psychiatric Social Worker II and Brian Navarro, Psychiatric Social Worker II, led the Service Areas 4 and 5 Clergy Collaborations to Los Angeles’ Holocaust Museum in Pan Pacific Park on May 22. The event’s highlights were hearing from Joe Alexander, a 102-year-old Holocaust survivor, artifact donations, and a museum tour. 

Alexander, a U.S. resident since 1949, was a 16-year-old Polish Jew when the Nazis invaded in 1938. His family was forcibly displaced to the Warsaw Ghetto before he was sent to the first of many concentration camps. Throughout his time in different concentration camps, Alexander went face-to-face with the “Angel of Death,” Josef Mengele, at Auschwitz. He was sorted by the German officer into a group to be led off for death but miraculously snuck his way from the extermination line into another line for forced labor. Alexander also persevered through death marches and forced labor to survive the war.

Alexander, a U.S. resident since 1949, was a 16-year-old Polish Jew when the Nazis invaded in 1938. His family was forcibly displaced to the Warsaw Ghetto before he was sent to the first of many concentration camps. Throughout his time in different concentration camps, Alexander went face-to-face with the “Angel of Death,” Josef Mengele, at Auschwitz. He was sorted by the German officer into a group to be led off for death but miraculously snuck his way from the extermination line into another line for forced labor. Alexander also persevered through death marches and forced labor to survive the war. 

An emotional audience dabbed at tears as a stoic Alexander rolled up his left sleeve to reveal a tattooed identification number and shared his harrowing tales of overcoming death through hope before being rescued by U.S. soldiers in Landsberg am Lech in 1945.  

“The Americans were there, and I was safe,” Alexander told the Los Angeles Daily News and FBI agents in 2024. “I survived. Hitler didn’t.” 

Eventually, Alexander made his way to Pennsylvania through New York City in 1949 and eventually to Santa Monica in 1950 to live alongside his cousin. 

The event also featured an artifact donation to the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum by Abel Acuna and led by Chaplain Ruth Belonsky, a member of the LACDMH Faith-based Advocacy Council and Service Area 5 Clergy Roundtable. Acuna disclosed to the group that his home was destroyed in the Palisades fire, with only a few remaining memories tucked in storage.  

Acuna’s family survived the Holocaust and moved to Argentina. His aunt passed along a vest and an armband with a golden star — a signifier of being a Jew during the Nazi occupation — which Acuna kindly donated to the museum for preservation. 

There was a shared ominous feeling among visitors who viewed the museum and listened to Alexander. Museum tour guides took LACDMH staff and visitors through exhibits showing how Germany used racism, book burning, propaganda, lies and media manipulation to exterminate Jews, people with disabilities, Poles, Romani, and more. 

The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) celebrated May is Mental Health Awareness Month with the Take Action for Mental Health L.A. County campaign. The annual celebration highlights the importance of mental health to all communities throughout Los Angeles County and is in partnership with the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA). 

The Take Action movement promotes wellness and wellbeing while sharing the vast array of resources and services provided by the nation’s largest behavioral health department. The Take Action events bring communities together in wellness and encourages everyone to pay attention to their own needs and those around them. 

This year’s edition featured eight events at local colleges with a final countywide event at Gloria Molina Grand Park. Events took place all around L.A. County — from Lancaster to Wilmington and Santa Monica to Whittier. Every event included free wellness activities such as yoga, meditation, art, music and community resources.  

The 2025 campaign featured high-profile social impact partners, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Sparks, Los Angeles Football Club, Univision, and Meruelo Media. The month-long celebration also featured more than 100 free non-LACDMH celebrations throughout the county hosted by more than 65 community-based organizations. 

Check out the Take Action campaign’s site at TakeActionLA.com.