Governor Newsom Proposes Modernization of California’s Behavioral Health System and More Mental Health Housing
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SAN DIEGO ~ In a move to modernize how California treats mental illness, substance use disorders, and homelessness, Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed an initiative for the 2024 ballot in partnership with Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton). The initiative would authorize a general obligation bond to build thousands of new community behavioral health beds in state-of-the-art residential settings to house Californians with mental illness and substance use disorders. It would also provide more funding specifically for housing for homeless veterans.

The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) was originally passed 20 years ago; the Governor is now proposing key changes that include creating a permanent source of housing funding of $1 billion a year in local assistance funds to serve people with acute behavioral health issues, focusing on Full Service Partnerships for the most seriously ill; and allowing MHSA to be used for people with substance use disorders alone.

"This is the next step in our transformation of how California addresses mental illness, substance use disorders, and homelessness – creating thousands of new beds, building more housing, expanding services, and more," said Governor Newsom. "People who are struggling with these issues, especially those who are on the streets or in other vulnerable conditions, will have more resources to get the help they need."

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The Administration plans to work closely with legislative leaders such as Senator Eggman and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), as well as with the California State Association of Counties, other critical local government stakeholders, community-based service organizations, advocates, and people with lived experience as bill language is developed.

Governor Newsom has already taken steps towards improving mental health care in California by allocating $2.2 billion for the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program; $1.5 billion for Behavioral Health Bridge Housing; $1.4 billion to expand and diversify the behavioral health workforce; $4.7 billion Master Plan for Kids' Mental Health; $1.4 billion to build out a Medi-Cal benefit for mobile crisis response; over $600 million to support community-based alternatives to state hospitalization for those who commit felonies who are incompetent to stand trial; over $1 billion to address the opioid epidemic; $7 billion to reform CalAIM; and $1.6 billion proposed to implement the California Behavioral Health Community-Based Continuum Demonstration. Additionally he has allocated $50 million for the California Veterans Health Initiative (CVHI) for veteran suicide prevention and mental health.

With this latest initiative proposed by Governor Newsom it is clear that he is committed towards improving mental health care in California so that those struggling can get access to better resources and treatment options.

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