Michelle Kwik's son, Evan, showed signs of mental illness when he was 12 years old. This past February, he shot and killed himself after a 10-hour standoff with San Diego Sheriff's Deputies. Kwik agreed to share her personal experience trying to get help for her son.
A California law designed to help people who have serious mental illness and refuse treatment has only been fully implemented in rural Nevada County, north of Sacramento. San Diego County is considering implementation of what's also know as Assisted Outpatient Treatment as an option.
People suffering from serious mental illness such as schizophrenia often refuse treatment because they don't know they're sick. The San Diengo County is reviewing the mental health services available to thousands of people who are resistant to treatment.
