Now we have the evidence that the Newsom $13 billion bond for the “mentally ill” hurts the mentally ill. Money will be taken from treatment for the homeless mentally ill and given to the unions, greedy developers and special interests.
“Eckert estimates the county would lose roughly $12 million in funding as Prop. 1 shifts priorities for those in need of mental health services. If passed, the measure would change the state law from the current Mental Health Services Act to the new Behavioral Health Services Act that would require the redistribution of funding.
Eckert provided the Board of Supervisors a breakdown of the shifts in funding. For example, about 19% is currently allocated to prevention and early intervention. That would all but go away as the measure would require more money directed to housing. Funding for services and support would be reduced by 61%.
“There will be serious impacts and elimination of currently funded programs in Monterey County, including prevention and early intervention programs,” Eckert wrote in a report to supervisors.”
The Newsom headline is nice—but the facts remain—this is another money grab by the rich and powerful at the expense of those in need.
Monterey County mental health services could suffer from state ballot measure
By DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Monterey Herald, 2/7/24 https://www.montereyherald.com/2024/02/07/monterey-county-mental-health-services-could-suffer-from-state-ballot-measure/
SALINAS — A well-intentioned proposition on the March ballot is aimed at helping the state’s homeless and those in need of mental health treatment with shelter and services, but if passed, the measure could cost Monterey County millions of dollars.
Proposition 1, Treatment not Tents, is a Gov. Gavin Newsom-sponsored ballot measure designed to refocus billions of dollars in existing funds to prioritize Californians with the deepest mental health needs, living in encampments or suffering the worst substance use issues, according to the Prop. 1 website. (https://treatmentnottents.com)
This transformation of the state’s behavioral health system is a melding of a couple of pieces of legislation – Assembly Bill 531 and Senate Bill 326 – that would change a host of services now covered under the Mental Health Services Act.
Armed with at least $12.5 million in funds Newsom has raised to promote the measure, Prop. 1 is enjoying broad support, according to the nonprofit CalMatters (https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2024/prop-1-mental-health/). In a late-November scientific poll asked of 1,660 California adults, Prop. 1 led by a 68% to 30% margin, with 85% of Democrats and 40% of Republicans supporting the measure.
In comparison, opponents of the measure have raised just $1,000.
The two-pronged measure would fund a $6.4 billion bond to significantly expand the state’s mental health and substance abuse treatment infrastructure. A majority of the money, $4.4 billion, would be used to build 10,000 in-patient and residential treatment beds across the state. The remainder would fund permanent supportive housing with half set aside for veterans with mental illness or addiction disorders.
The second part of the measure would require counties to change the way they spend existing mental health dollars by directing them to prioritize housing for people who are chronically homeless. These shifts could cost Monterey County millions, said Katy Eckert, Monterey County’s Behavioral Health bureau chief.
Eckert estimates the county would lose roughly $12 million in funding as Prop. 1 shifts priorities for those in need of mental health services. If passed, the measure would change the state law from the current Mental Health Services Act to the new Behavioral Health Services Act that would require the redistribution of funding.
Eckert provided the Board of Supervisors a breakdown of the shifts in funding. For example, about 19% is currently allocated to prevention and early intervention. That would all but go away as the measure would require more money directed to housing. Funding for services and support would be reduced by 61%.
“There will be serious impacts and elimination of currently funded programs in Monterey County, including prevention and early intervention programs,” Eckert wrote in a report to supervisors.
She went before supervisors to ask them to formally oppose the measure unless it was amended. Supervisors declined to oppose it and instead took no action. One of the pieces of legislation forming one leg of the stool, SB 326, was opposed earlier by supervisors.
“We’ve already expressed our concerns to our legislators,” said Supervisor Luis Alejo.
The measure, if passed, would also change the proportion of state funding versus county funding. Presently the county is responsible for 5% of the total costs. If Prop. 1 is enacted the county would be on the hook for 10% of the costs.
While one of the intents of the measure is to increase housing for homeless and mentally ill residents, Eckert said the state Legislative Analyst Office indicated Prop. 1 would provide “less than half of the statewide shortage of places for mental health care and drug or alcohol treatment. As a result, the number of housing units built by the bond proceeds would only reduce statewide homelessness by 2.5%,” she said.
“This proposed redistribution of funding will shift funds that previously supported mental health services toward housing,” Eckert said.
If passed, the Prop. 1 funding redistributions would be phased in and would not be in full effect until July 2026.
