Provenza: Advocate for mental health programs

To the Editor,

     Mental illness is complex.  It takes special leadership to recognize the need for providing support programs for people in crisis.  When Jim Provenza learned about Yolo County Mental Health Court, he listened and learned about the positive impact the program was making on participants.  He went to the Community Corrections Partnership and DA to advocate for the creation of a second court, doubling the capacity to serve.

     Based on his interest to provide mental health programs in our county, Jim went to Washington DC to learn about the Step Up program.  Our local Step Up Initiative identified 52 intervention points to divert people from the criminal system to mental health services.  Jim joined a task force in an effort to work with mental health professionals, human services and police to provide this type of intervention in our county.

     I worked with Jim professionally for 16 years.  He has always impressed me as a humble man who genuinely wants to hear from citizens, advocate as needed and establish programs that positively affect the lives of families.  I value Jim’s leadership style and support his re-election for County Supervisor. 

Courtenay Tessler

Retired High School Counselor