Mentally ill bused to Cali

A Nevada hospital has been sending hundreds of mentally ill patients to California and other states, an investigation finds.

A review of bus receipts kept by the Nevada Division of Mental Health and Development Services revealed that the Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas, a facility for adults with serious mental illness, has sent more than 1,500 mental-health patients to other cities since July 2008, according to The Sacramento Bee. About one-third of those patients were sent to California, including 19 to Sacramento, 200 to Los Angeles County and 70 to San Diego County.

The issue came to light in February after a confused and suicidal patient arrived at a homeless-services facility in Sacramento, without identification or medication; Rawson-Neal had made no arrangements for treatment or housing.

Tracey Green, Nevada’s state health officer, said most of the patients were mentally stable and had family members and treatment programs waiting at their destinations.