Today, Behavioral Health Deputy Director Ryan Quist presented the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) FY 2022-23 Annual Update to the MHSA Three-Year Plan for Board approval. The annual update reflected the January 2022 Board action to increase MHSA expenditure contracts by $25 million.
“With recognition of increasing needs and the behavioral health workforce challenges, this past year the Board of Supervisors approved acceleration of our MHSA spending plan to ensure we can get additional services out to the community,” said Health Services Director, Chevon Kothari. “What was once a significant reserve of MHSA funding is strategically being spent down in the upcoming few years to address unprecedented needs.”
MHSA funding is facilitating a mental health delivery and treatment system in Sacramento County to provide care and reduce untreated mental illness by implementing programs under Community Services and Support (CSS), Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI), and Innovation (INN) that improve mental health practices. Additionally, MHSA funding supports countywide efforts to expedite services for individuals with serious mental illness, co-occurring substance use disorders and are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Community Services and Support (CSS)
- CSS funds are used for mental health treatment services and support for children/youth and their families living with severe emotional disturbance, adults living with a serious mental illness, and housing for these populations. Programs include:
- Community Opportunities for Recovery & Engagement
- Sierra Elder Wellness Full Service Partnership (FSP)
- Permanent Supportive Housing (includes FSPs)
- Transcultural Wellness Center FSP
- Wellness & Recovery
- Adult FSP
- Juvenile Justice Diversion and Treatment FSP
- Transitional Age Youth FSP
- Crisis Residential Programs
- Children’s Community Mental Health Services
- Mental Health Crisis/Urgent Care Clinic
- Family FSP
In FY 2020-21, the implemented CSS-funded FSP programs served 2,590 unduplicated clients and the implemented General System Development programs served 32,043 unduplicated clients.
Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI)
PEI can fund programs and activities designed to prevent mental illness from occurring or becoming more severe and disabling. Examples of current PEI programs include Mobile Crisis Support Teams, Consumer-Operated Warm Line, Mental Health Navigator, Bullying Prevention Education and Training, etc.
In FY 2020-21, PEI-funded Programs:
- Supported 65,453 callers through the Suicide Crisis Line
- Served 72,033 across Suicide Prevention
- Outreached to 7,165 through Suicide Prevention
- Served 2,810 across Strengthening Families
- Trained 49,742 through Strengthening Families
- Served 304 across Integrated Health and Wellness
- Outreached to 183 through Integrated Health and Wellness
Innovation (INN)
INN projects are time-limited and are approved by the state’s Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) to test new and/or improved mental health practices or approaches to increase access to MHSA programs (including unserved/underserved), increase service quality and promote inter-agency collaboration. Currently, INN programs include;
- Mental Health Crisis/Urgent Care Clinic: Opened in November 2017 (expansion to 24/7 operation in progress)
- Behavioral Health Crisis Services Collaborative: Opened in September 2019
- Community Justice Support Program (formerly Forensic Behavioral Health Multi-System Team): Implemented in 2021-22
MHSA Housing Program
Housing for homeless individuals living with serious mental illness continues to be an important initiative for DHS, as well as an accomplishment and success story. Since the inception of MHSA planning, housing for homeless individuals living with mental illness has been a high priority, and Sacramento County has achieved considerable success in this area through the MHSA Housing Program. Since 2007, Sacramento County has invested more than $28 million in local one-time set-aside MHSA funding and County MHSA dollars administered by the state and Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency on behalf of DHS to address homelessness for MHSA-eligible clients.
In FY 2019-20, MHSA-funded programs:
- Housed 563 clients/households who were homeless;
- Prevented 1,431 clients/households at imminent risk of becoming homeless;
- Served 161 clients/households residing in MHSA-funded apartments;
- Provided rental assistance to 4,682 clients/households; and
- Provided 7,815 services utilizing MHSA housing flex funds.
“There is no wrong entrance door to access mental health services,” said Ryan Quist. “MHSA funding and expansion creates access points intended to meet clients where they are and make access to services effortless.”
