California Transforms State’s Mental Health Services Act

SACRAMENTO —  Gov. Gavin Newsom, in partnership with Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), June 20 announced a legislative package reflecting the Mental Health Services Act or MHSA transformation and new bond unveiled earlier this year in San Diego as part of his Tour of the State of California. This transformation will focus on housing with accountability and reform with results to help ensure Californians can access critical behavioral health services, including housing and treatment for substance use disorders – making good on a decades-old promise by state leaders.

The two bills: SB 326 (Eggman) & AB 531 (Irwin) focus on five solutions to transform California’s behavioral health system through housing with accountability and reform with results:

Reforming key behavioral health care funding to provide services to the most seriously ill and to treat substance use disorders; Building a workforce to reflect and connect with California’s diversity; Focusing on outcomes, accountability, and equity; Housing and behavioral health treatment in unlocked, community-based settings; Housing for veterans with behavioral health challenges.

Combined, this legislative package will bring this transformation to all communities, all ages, all incomes, and cover mental health and substance use disorders as well as build out the State’s capacity to provide behavioral health care, housing, and good jobs for Californians – with strengthened accountability for results.

The two bills will work their way through the California Legislature in the coming months. The behavioral health legislative package will go to the voters for approval in March 2024, after consideration and approval by Legislature and Gov. Newsom’s signature in 2023.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/Mental-Health-Services-Act