PHOENIX — A new law is giving a group of 'mad moms' a reason to smile.
"I'm pretty excited about it," Rachel Streiff said. "There hasn't been this emphasis and focus on serious mental illness in Arizona before. "
Streiff is an organizer with the grassroots group Arizona Mad Moms. The group has taken the state Capitol by storm this session, demanding changes in the system of care that’s supposed to help people with serious mental illnesses, or SMIs.
Streiff told the 12News I-Team that at the end of 2023, the group was a handful of frustrated parents and guardians. The group, which offers support and advocates for changes, ballooned to about 200 families in the past few months after exposure in the media and at the Capitol.
"What does that tell you about the behavioral health system in Arizona?" asked the I-Team's Erica Stapleton.
"The behavioral health system in Arizona is failing," Streiff said.
She knows firsthand from her family's experience. She's the guardian of a 31-year-old woman who’s been stuck in the system for years.
"She’s been on a revolving door," Streiff shared. "And I’m really determined to stop it."
Her work has paid off. This week, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed House Bill 2744 into law.
In part, it requires care facilities and courts to involve families and guardians in their loved one’s care and gives them more power to intervene if treatment isn’t working.
"Being able to meet some of the families was really impactful for me," said Representative Consuelo Hernandez, a Democrat from District 21 in southern Arizona.
The bill was Hernandez's first to be signed into law.
"I didn’t realize how many gaps in our system there are," Hernandez said.
The 12News I-Team has extensively reported on these gaps: people winding up on the streets, in jail, even dead, after they were released from hospitals or treatment centers without their loved ones’ knowledge.
"Most of the Arizona Mad Moms bills are pretty simple," Streiff said. "And it’s surprising that we even have to make these things laws because a lot of them we’re calling ‘just do your job’ bills."
These frustrations are something family's like Rachel's have dealt with for years with little attention.
"If it’s not a state law, unfortunately, you’re not required as an agency or as the court system to do that," Hernandez explained. "So, this was a no-brainer to me. This could be life-saving for a lot of people."
Hernandez said she and some of her colleagues in the House and Senate are trying to take the reigns to close the gaps in the behavioral healthcare system. This bill got bipartisan support and Hernandez says the law should take effect in July.
"Mental health across the state is one that is underfunded and understaffed period," Hernandez said. "We need more funding. That's going to be my next hurdle next session. Hopefully to get some funding there."
The Arizona Mad Moms group is backing a few more bills this session that still have a shot at going to the Governor’s desk this session. Some of their goals going forward are to address issues with bed shortages, training for staff and tracking outcomes.
"We don’t have a lobbyist," Streiff explained. "We don’t have funds. We’re just desperate families that are very grateful to these lawmakers for giving us a voice."
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