In 2019, NBC 7 began investigating how and why the mental health care system in San Diego County was failing people. The investigation started when we learned that librarians at the Central Library in downtown San Diego were doing way more work related to the mental health care of their patrons than anything related to books. As we worked to understand why that was happening, we uncovered what many experts call a mental health care crisis.
“BREAKDOWN” exposes the many ways this crisis affects our community, and, through the voices of those hit hardest by the crisis, shows how changes to the system could better serve those so desperately in need of care.