SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio city leader is calling for action on mental health. Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia calls it a crisis in the Alamo City.
Her latest push comes after six-year-old Hosanna Honey Blue Sancho was killed allegedly at the hands of her own mother. The child lived in the councilwoman's district, which primarily covers the southwest side of the city.
"I lost it," she said. "I couldn't hold it. I started crying. There is just so much grieving and so much sadness. And I just feel there is a cloud over San Antonio right now."
The first week of January, Hosanna's life was cut short police said at the hands of her mother 36-year-old Nephiteri Sancho. The family said the mother had mental health issues. Rocha Garcia said there is not an easy solution regarding the topic of mental health.
"I feel like we have been on a course of trying to be proactive in several areas," she said. "I still do think we are very reactive in the mental health area."
The councilwoman said the city can't stay idle any longer. Off the bat, she said she wants to know were funding from the American Rescue Plan Act under the Mental Health category was spent. She believes it was more than $20 plus million.
"I want to see where we are spending it on," the leader said. "I want to see if there is still an opportunity to reconsider on what we are spending those funds on. We are not the experts in mental health. But the organizations that do this are, and we need to continue to support them at the highest level."
Rocha Garcia also wants to look at where the most help is needed.
"What is missing," she said. "What is there that can we do specifically for families in this situation? Families who have a loved one that is suffering through a mental health issue. I know that families don't think as the city as the first person to talk to, but guess what the city can fund the organizations that they do think of."
The councilwoman also said she gifted Hosanna's family with a special cheerleader angel lapel pin. The councilwoman used to teach cheer with her best-friend who passed away. They taught cheer to children that was around the same age as Hosanna. She found out that Hosanna wanted to be a cheerleader, which is why she decided to give the family the pin.
"Anything we can do for the family," she said.