Lassen Aurora Network (LAN) has been serving our community for over 15 years. LAN provides: peer support, group activities, a safe place. LAN provides a safe zone for people to address; crisis resolution, gain emotional support, process suicidal thoughts, loneliness or any other issue they may be struggling with. LAN is designed to be the middle ground between behavioral health and hospitals.

There is significant competition for funds to address issues of mental illness.Our main funding source is the Mental Health Service Act (MHSA). Lassen County currently does not have have a Mental Health Services Act Coordinator (MHSAC). The MHSAC is the bridge between the community and Behavioral Heath Services (BHS) and is paid for by the MHSA. 

We have asked that the LCBHS hire a MHSAC like many other counties do. The requests have been made at stakeholder meetings, advisory committee meetings and public forums.

Please add your voices to convincing our county that a dedicated person to handle MHSA funds and liaison with community based organizations providing MHSA qualifying services to determine needs and best distribution of funds with community input.

Every year our program struggles with the year to year transition during contract periods and has for 15 years. A commitment to needed services and a seamless transition would greatly improve service delivery. A number of times LAN has had to close at the end of the contract period because funds to continue were unavailable. Also it is 60 days or more until a new contract is available. This has been the case for 15 years.

At a recent Lassen County Board of Supervisors (LCBOS) meeting during the budget approval session the LCBHS proposed a contract for LAN that represents a $96,000 reduction for the 2020 funds requested for LAN operations and services. This would result in our program closing, as our funding is dependent on MHSA.

Better planning throughout a 3 year cycle we believe would result in a better allocation of resources. This is the job of the MHSAC.

We recently provided our LCBOS documentation of service we provided during the last contract period please sign our petition to ask the county to hire a MHSAC so we can strategize better allocation of funds and avoid catastrophic reduction in services. Many community members are aware of what we do and its importance. Please join their voices and sign this petition in support of LASSEN AURORA NETWORK.