Gov. Newsom Announces $133 Million for Behavioral Health Bridge Housing
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration July 30 awarded $132.5 million to 10 county behavioral health agencies under the Department of Health Care Services’ Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program. This funding enables counties to provide temporary, safe housing and essential support for people transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing. Bridge housing is a crucial component of addressing the urgent needs of Californians experiencing homelessness who have mental health or substance use disorder treatment needs by providing a temporary place to safely start their recovery journey.
The BHBH program is just one tool available to counties as they work to support the most sick and vulnerable residents in our state. Gov. Newsom also urged the chairs of California’s Boards of Supervisors to implement conservatorship reform. The new Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Act, also known as the CARE Court program, is already being implemented in nine counties, and statewide later this year, and is helping to hold counties and people with untreated psychosis accountable for care plans, and empower families and others to petition for help.
Details on awards
DHCS is partnering with county behavioral health agencies to offer the BHBH Program. In Round 1, DHCS awarded more than $900 million to county behavioral health agencies to provide support through bridge housing settings, including tiny homes, interim housing, rental assistance models, and assisted living settings. With the July 30 funding, counties will expand rental assistance programs, establish housing to address the needs of people exiting incarceration, expand interim housing, and build on other program components, such as landlord engagement.
About the BHBH program
The awards to counties build upon last year’s $900 million allocation to counties and tribal entities. The Request for Applications was released in January 2024, offering two tracks: either operational funding or operational and infrastructure funding. These awards will enhance local efforts to provide immediate housing and support for individuals with serious behavioral health conditions by bolstering the development of tiny homes, interim housing, rental assistance programs, and other housing models, which will include access to behavioral health and housing navigation services to connect BHBH Program participants to long-term housing.
To see a list of the counties awarded, visit the BHBH Program website.
About conservatorship reform
Conservatorship is a last resort to help connect people with serious behavioral health care needs with the resources and support to protect them and others. Legislation signed by Gov. Newsom updated eligibility for conservatorships to include people who are unable to provide for their personal safety or necessary medical care, or have a severe substance use disorder, and, as a result, are unable to provide for their basic personal needs, and no longer requires a co-occuring mental health disorder. The new law also created transparency into data and equity on mental health conservatorships.
About CARE Courts
CARE Court connects a person struggling with untreated psychosis – and often also substance use challenges – with a court-ordered care plan for up to 24 months. Each plan is managed by a care team in the community and can include clinically prescribed, individualized interventions with several supportive services, medication, and a housing plan. The client-centered approach also includes an attorney and supporter to help make self-directed care decisions in addition to their full clinical team.
Gov. Newsom Orders State Entities to Address Encampments With Urgency and Dignity
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order July 25 ordering state agencies and departments to adopt clear policies that address homeless encampments while respecting the dignity and well-being of all Californians. With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v Johnson, local governments now have the tools and authority to address encampments and help provide those residing in encampments with the resources they need.
Gov. Newsom’s executive order directs state agencies and departments to adopt humane and dignified policies to urgently address encampments on state property, including by taking steps to notify and support the people inhabiting the encampment prior to removal. Gov. Newsom has invested more than $24 billion to address the housing crisis across multiple state agencies and departments, including billions of dollars in funding to assist local jurisdictions in providing services and wrap-around support to people living in encampments. In Fiscal Year 2022-2023, these investments helped lift more than 165,000 people out of homelessness and into interim or permanent housing.
California blueprint
Gov. Newsom’s order directs state agencies and departments to adopt policies and plans consistent with the California Department of Transportation’s or Caltrans existing encampment policy. Caltrans provides advance notice of clearance and works with local service providers to support those experiencing homelessness at the encampment, and stores personal property collected at the site for at least 60 days.
The order encourages local governments to emulate the state’s model to adopt local policies and to use all available resources, including those provided by the state’s investments in housing and intervention programs, to address encampments within their jurisdictions.
Proposition 1 funding available for local governments
Gov. Newsom also encourages local governments to apply for the newly available $3.3 billion in competitive grant funding from Proposition 1 to expand the behavioral health continuum and provide appropriate care to individuals experiencing mental health conditions and substance use disorders — with a focus on people who are most seriously ill, vulnerable, or homeless. Proposition 1 includes two parts: a $6.4 billion behavioral health bond for treatment settings and housing with services, and reform of the Behavioral Health Services Act or BHSA to focus on people with the most serious illnesses, substance disorders, and housing needs. The state also released the Proposition 1 Behavioral Health Services Act: Housing Supports Primer (July 2024) for counties, which explains how to spend the projected $950 million annual BHSA revenue on housing interventions.
Details: A copy of today’s executive order can be found here.