May 06, 2013

The Press Enterprise: Angry At Busing

The Sacramento Bee's revelations that Nevada mental health officials routinely bought bus tickets to send mentally ill people unaccompanied to California and other states has triggered an uproar by California lawmakers.

Dozens of the patients were sent to destinations in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, The Bee reported.

Last week, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside, was among 21 members of California's congressional delegation who sent colleagues a letter to federal health officials urging an investigation into Nevada's actions.

"If this practice of shipping patients with a history of mental illness to other states, known colloquially as ‘Greyhound Therapy,’ is occurring, it would not only be unethical and disgraceful," the letter read, "but would also be an illegal attempt by Nevada to evict members of the state's most vulnerable population to benefit its bottom line."