Together we are moving in the right direction on behavioral health
Op-Ed by Secretary of CalHHS, Dr. Mark Ghaly
I recently joined Governor Gavin Newsom in announcing legislation — Senate Bill 326 by Senator Susan Eggman and Assembly Bill 531 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin — that together outline reforms to modernize our behavioral health system. Combined, these two bills will build out the State’s capacity to provide behavioral health care and housing with strengthened accountability for results.
SB 326 will reform the Mental Health Services Act, a law that has not been updated in over 20 years, by focusing funding on people with the greatest need, and who need persistent engagement to successfully manage their behavioral health needs. Through AB 531, we are proposing a general obligation bond measure to build up the necessary infrastructure to build community-based treatment, residential care settings, and supportive housing — 10,000 beds across the state.
These reforms will complement and build upon California’s recent work over the last few years to create a behavioral health system that is responsive to the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors, including those who are homeless, suffering from substance use disorders, and those who had interactions with the criminal justice system.
Our work during the Newsom Administration is centered on the belief that we can treat individuals in the community and do so in less restrictive settings.
We are making historic investments to build services and supports through diversion and community-based restoration for those who have been accused of felony crimes but are unable to understand the charges against them or assist their counsel in their defense due to their mental illness.
We are implementing the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, a new and compassionate civil court process that provides care to the most severely ill. The CARE Act is based on evidence that many people can stabilize, begin healing, and exit homelessness in less restrictive, community-based care, avoiding more restrictive conservatorships or incarceration.
We are also pushing the bounds of Medicaid. California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) and the Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) programs will expand services for individuals living with serious mental illness and emotional disturbance, with a focus on children and youth, people experiencing homelessness, and justice-involved individuals.
We are leading the nation in building comprehensive crisis care services — from strengthening the capacity of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to building non-law enforcement mobile crisis response units so that the most common entry point into care is less traumatic and results in increased engagement through on-going treatment. Additionally, our opioid and fentanyl response efforts have invested over $1 billion in targeted programs and services that educate, intervene early, treat, and enforce laws to appropriately combat overdose.
To set the next generation up for success, we have invested $4.7 billion as part of a Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative that anchors our Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health. We are partnering with schools to help children and youth learn the skills to cope, which will set them up for adulthood.
These reforms will complement and build upon California’s recent work over the last few years to create a behavioral health system that is responsive to the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors.
We also recognize many older Californians are equally struggling with some form of isolation and loneliness. We are providing connections through the Older Adult Friendship Line, and we have proposed new investments to combat isolation and reduce stigma in older adult behavioral health as part of the Master Plan for Aging.
Supporting all these efforts are investments to build the pipeline of providers and the physical infrastructure needed for these services, including $3.8 billion to create tens of thousands of new behavioral health professionals, offering tuition assistance and loan forgiveness, and funding training programs. We also need brick-and-mortar spaces for care, to address historic gaps and to meet growing demand for services across age groups. To that end, California has set aside $3.7 billion for a wide range of care provided in the least restrictive settings and within the community.
Collectively, these initiatives and investments fit together to provide the tools and resources to help Californians with a range of behavioral health challenges.
And while significant progress has been made over the last few years, the tragedy of status quo toward those who are unfairly suffering from highly treatable, and often preventable, conditions has led to a crisis that cannot be solved overnight, nor will the state be able to build this system of behavioral health care alone.
It will require us all working together, across sectors, and at all levels of government.
We all can do better; we all must do better and with this reform we will do better.
