Councilmember Rick Cole to Host Webinar on Community Mental Health Amid Growing Local and Global Strains

Citing a period marked by international conflict, national unrest, the lingering effects of the Eaton Fire and growing economic inequality, Pasadena City Councilmember Rick Cole is inviting residents to participate in a public discussion focused on improving community mental health.

Cole will host the next installment of his City Talk webinar at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 7. The online event will explore approaches to strengthening mental health support in communities and encourage public participation through questions and discussion.

In an announcement promoting the event, Cole said residents are living through “crazy” times shaped by global crises, local disasters and the visible contrast between extreme wealth and homelessness. He said those pressures affect people in different ways, from family struggles to difficult encounters with people experiencing mental illness on city streets.

“We can’t accept this as ‘normal,'” Cole said in the announcement. “What can we do together to promote mental health in our communities?”

Joining Cole for the discussion will be Kerry Morrison, founder of HeartForwardLA, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that advocates for changes to the mental health system. The conversation will focus on what organizers describe as more humane and practical approaches to mental wellness, how neighborhoods can better support residents and what meaningful reforms could look like.

The webinar is part of Cole’s ongoing City Talk series and complements his Issue Forum discussions on community policy matters. Organizers said attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and participate in the conversation.