Shasta County cannot be safe if we continue relying on systems that were never designed — or funded — to meet the level of crisis our community faces today. Mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, and violent crime are deeply connected, and Shasta County deserves leadership willing to confront those realities with honesty, compassion, and action.
For far too long, my opponent has treated mental health like a talking point rather than a responsibility. We’ve watched opportunities for critical state funding nearly get derailed. We’ve watched individuals in crisis cycle between the streets, the ER, and jail. We’ve watched emergency rooms become holding spaces instead of places for healing. And we’ve watched families pray for help that never comes.
We’ve had enough.
Every one of us knows someone who has struggled.
Every family carries a story.
And those stories deserve better than political games.