SAN DIEGO — Mimi Murray believed she could fix it.
All her son needed, she thought, was to come back to San Diego and get some help from Mom. She expected he would have a short stay at their Rancho Peñasquitos home in North County before finding a new job and landing back on his feet.
That was six years ago.
After 18 stays at shelters and recovery homes, Michael — who is diagnosed with bipolar II, schizoaffective and substance use disorders — remains homeless.
His mother said though his eight years as a U.S. naval officer give him access to services through Veterans Affairs, he does not believe he is sick and does not regularly receive treatment.
Mimi, in turn, chooses to focus on the short-term.
“It’s not when he gets into permanent housing and he manages his mental illness, and hopefully he would find companionship. I can’t think about that,” she said. “I think about, well, I hope he is able to stay where he is next week and I hope he doesn’t lose his phone tomorrow, or I hope he doesn’t get his EBT card stolen again.
“I’m short-term because long-term didn’t work. I thought I could fix it.”
As the state grapples with its homeless crisis, elected officials across the state have pointed to one longstanding law as a possible solution: expanding conservatorships for Californians diagnosed with severe mental illness.
The move could put more people under the care of counties for treatment, even if those placed under conservatorship object.
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