Closing the gap between crisis and care

In District 36, too many people only enter the healthcare system during a crisis—often through emergency rooms, law enforcement, or long-distance travel for basic psychiatric care. That is not how a functioning system should work.

As a psychiatric provider, Jon has worked directly with patients in crisis settings where timely access to care can determine outcomes. In rural parts of Nevada, patients often travel hours to receive stabilization or ongoing treatment, while Clark County communities face growing wait times due to demand outpacing provider availability.

This creates a system where prevention is weak, and crisis response becomes the default.

A better approach focuses on:

• Expanding outpatient mental health access across Nye and Clark Counties
• Supporting local crisis stabilization resources to reduce ER and jail dependency
• Increasing recruitment and retention of mental health and primary care providers in underserved areas
• Leveraging federal funding streams (including SAMHSA and HRSA programs) to build local capacity

The goal is simple: care should be available before a situation becomes an emergency.