Katherine Tansey, who lives on the streets of Chico, battles with her mental health and struggles to find sufficient resources in the area.

Tansey has lived in Chico for 18 years, and has been homeless for the majority of them. 

Growing up, her dream was to work for the forest service and fight fires. She mentioned her interest in joining a hot shot crew. But after getting the certifications required to apply for the job, she was unable to find an open position in her area. She rerouted and chose to go to college. 

She attended multiple schools, notably Dominican University of California in San Rafael, where she played DII soccer and studied music. She received a scholarship for being on the team and won an award for “most improved player.” 

Her grades suffered throughout her college career when she stepped into the world of partying. Unable to keep passing grades, she lost her scholarship and was forced to attend a different college. Her lifestyle once again interfered with her academics, so her parents pulled her out of school to live with them. 

Returning home was a hard experience, she said. Her party habits didn’t change upon leaving college and created tension between her and her parents. Her dynamic with her mother was unhealthy and her mother forced her to leave the house. 

Her only option was to move to Chico to live with her sister, who attended Chico State at the time. She was eventually kicked out for selling her sister’s cassette tapes for cigarettes. 

She has lived on the streets ever since.

Tansey has struggled with managing her mental health and has made many attempts to find help. She listed at least 15 medications that she’s been on for bipolar disorder, but said that the majority of them weren’t helpful. 

The process of finding a medication, or sometimes a combination of medications, that work for an individual can be difficult. Tansey’s experience with medication has made her feel like a “guinea pig,” she said. The trial and error process of finding a good fit has been frustrating, she said. 

Tansey said she has struggled with thoughts of suicide. At a low point, she contacted Butte Behavioral Health Crisis services to get help, but did not receive the support she needed. 

Unable to provide any form of identification, the officials told her that they were unable to help her.

Desperate for a solution, she informed officials that she was homicidal. She received immediate attention and was taken to a facility to be watched for 72 hours.

“They’re supposed to give you services. If you’re suicidal, homicidal, it doesn’t matter,” Tansey said. 

Though her battle with mental health may be unstable, she consistently makes art. She draws with marker pens. 

Her bike, which she calls her “beamer,” is covered in her colorful designs and inscriptions. Hanging from the rack is a pair of shoes with the word “roulette” inscribed on them.

Tansey also enjoys writing and producing music. She has performed live in Chico under the indie label, “Hippie Go Lucky Records.” She is a talented singer and guitar player. 

To learn more about Butte County’s crisis services, you can visit their website. 

Lexi Lynn can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].

To read the article in Spanish, go here.