The bill was sponsored by Congressman Consuelo Hernandez from southern Arizona. This is the first bill she has signed into law.
PHOENIX — A new law gives a group of “mad moms” a reason to smile.
“I’m so excited,” Rachel Streif said. “Arizona has never before had such a focus on serious mental illness.”
Streif is an organizer with the grassroots organization Arizona Mad Moms. The group occupied the state Capitol this legislative session, demanding changes to the care system that is supposed to help people with severe mental illness (SMI).
Streif told the 12News I-Team that at the end of 2023, the group consisted of a small number of disgruntled parents and guardians. The group, which supports and advocates for change, has grown to about 200 families in the past few months after exposure in the media and on Capitol Hill.
“What do you know about Arizona’s behavioral health system?” asked Erica Stapleton of the I-Team.
“Arizona’s behavioral health system is dysfunctional,” Striff said.
She knows firsthand from her family’s experience. She is the guardian of a 31-year-old woman who has been trapped in the system for years.
“She was in a revolving door,” Streif said. “And I am determined to prevent that from happening.”
Her work paid off. This week, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed House Bill 2744 into law.
In part, it requires nursing homes and courts to involve family members and guardians in the care of their loved ones, and it also requires them to have the power to intervene if treatment is ineffective. There is.
“It was really impactful for me to see some of my family,” said Consuelo Hernandez, a Democratic congressman from Southern Arizona’s 21st District.
This bill was the first bill Hernandez signed into law.
“We didn’t realize how many gaps there were in our system,” Hernandez said.
The 12News I-Team has reported extensively on the gap between people who are released from hospitals and treatment centers and end up stuck on the streets, in prison, or dying without the knowledge of their loved ones.
“Most of the Arizona Mad Moms bills are very simple,” Streif said. “And it’s amazing that these things even have to become law, because a lot of them are what we call ‘do your job’ bills.”
These are frustrations that families like Rachel’s have been dealing with for years with little attention.
“Unfortunately, if it’s not state law, we don’t have to do it as an agency or as a court system,” Hernandez explained. “So this was a no-brainer for me. This could save a lot of lives.”
Hernandez said she and some colleagues in the House and Senate are trying to take the lead in closing gaps in the behavioral health system. The bill has bipartisan support, and Hernandez said she believes the law should go into effect in July.
“Mental health across the state is at a time of underfunding and understaffing,” Hernandez said. “We need more funding. That’s going to be the next hurdle next session. Hopefully we can get the funding there.”
Arizona’s Mad Moms group is sponsoring several more bills this Congress that could still make it to the governor’s desk this session. Future goals include addressing bed shortage issues, training staff, and tracking results.
“We don’t have lobbyists,” Streif explained. “We don’t have the funds. We’re just a desperate family, but we’re so grateful to our legislators for giving us a voice.”
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