In April, one of our new clients, “Darnell,” suffered a mental health crisis while his family was under COVID-19 quarantine.

Darnell’s mom wanted to get him help, but was too afraid to call 911. As we’re all acutely aware, police involvement can often turn deadly for Black people, and the risk only increases for those with untreated mental illness.

So Mom called Darnell’s LCCR social worker instead. Lana stayed on the phone with Mom for much of the night, keeping her calm while talking her through what to do. Eventually, Lana and Mom were able to get a crisis response team to safely transport Darnell to Children’s Hospital for psychiatric care.

While Darnell was in the hospital, Lana continued to lend counsel and support to Mom, who sadly blamed herself for her son’s episode. After a week, Darnell was discharged with a new medication and follow up appointments. Working with Mom, Lana also secured a referral for MultiSystemic Therapy to further aid his longer-term needs.

Mom is now happy to have her son back at home. Like any other parent, she’s just wants her son to be healthy and safe. We continue to check in on the family regularly to make sure they have the support they need.

Your support makes our work with Darnell and kids like him possible. Thank you!