California Briefs: CA Invests in Mental Health; Housing Programs; Receives Funding to Plug Oil & Gas Wells

Gov. Newsom Invests Funds In Mental Health Housing Expansion

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – At the site of a new facility that will offer housing and medical services to people transitioning out of homelessness, Governor Gavin Newsom Jan. 31, announced the availability of $1.1 billion to get and keep vulnerable Californians off the streets and provide them the mental health housing and treatment they need. This announcement highlights a critical part of the Governor’s $14 billion homelessness package that will create 55,000 new housing units and treatment slots when fully implemented. 

This announcement makes available approximately $1.1 billion in new funding through Homekey – $518.5 million for the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program and $570 million for the Community Care Expansion Program – that local partners are encouraged to utilize as part of the state’s strategy to rebuild mental and behavioral health services and house those most in need, especially those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

California Eligible for Federal Funding to Clean Up Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) Jan. 31, announced that California is eligible for $61,495,000 in the first phase of federal funding to plug orphaned oil and gas wells. This funding from the US Department of the Interior comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The California Natural Resources Agency has documented 5,356 oil, gas, and geothermal orphaned wells on state and private lands. 

Initial funding will allow state officials to begin building out , remediating high-priority wells, and collecting additional data regarding the number of orphaned wells. States will be eligible to apply for additional future funding from the Department of Interior.