Nevada’s First Lady Taking On Mental Health Issues In Las Vegas
The governor isn’t the only Sandoval making news this week.
Kathleen Sandoval, the governor’s wife, is visiting Las Vegas to christen the opening of Enliven.
Enliven is a place to treat people between the ages of 15 and 25 who are diagnosed as psychotic.
Sandoval, director of operations for the non-profit The Children’s Cabinet, opened the first Enliven in Reno a year ago, in partnership with the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services.
People who have had an initial psychotic episode are referred to the service. Of 87 screened, Sandoval said, 24 were found to be dealing with psychosis. They can then receive treatment ranging from pharmaceuticals to counseling, and their families and friends are also educated on the mental illness.
Las Vegas is eight times larger than Reno, so Sandoval said the staff in the south will be much larger to start with.
Nevada has long struggled to address the needs of people with mental illnesses, Sandoval said it isn’t just a state-funding issue; it’s a community issue.