Wednesday, June 10, 2026
County approves 3-year behavioral health plan
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has approved the region's first Behavioral Health Services Act Integrated Plan, directing $329 million toward mental health care, substance use treatment, crisis response and housing services for thousands of resi
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has approved the region's first three-year Behavioral Health Services Act Integrated Plan, establishing a framework for how hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local funding will be used to expand mental health treatment, substance use services, and housing assistance.
The plan, approved Tuesday, outlines how the county will allocate behavioral health funding under the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), which replaced California's Mental Health Services Act following the passage of Proposition 1 by voters in 2024.
Under the new law, counties are required to develop three-year plans detailing local behavioral health priorities and how available funding will be spent.
County officials said the planning process included more than 100 listening sessions during the past year and feedback from more than 1,900 residents and 280 organizations. Participants identified a need for faster access to behavioral health services, expanded support for children and young people, culturally responsive care, alternatives to law enforcement responses during behavioral health crises, and improved coordination across the behavioral health system.
"The feedback we received from our community stakeholders has been vital in shaping our first BHSA Integrated Plan," Nadia Privara Brahms, director of County Behavioral Health Services, said in a statement. "The plan reflects the ideas shared with us, integrating things like early intervention services, additional navigation supports, and culturally responsive programming."
The county's first-year plan includes a Behavioral Health Services Act budget of $329 million and accounts for all behavioral health funding sources. County officials estimate the plan will provide services annually to more than 52,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries, including more than 15,000 children, youth and young adults.
The plan also includes housing assistance for nearly 19,000 people with behavioral health needs.
Funding will be directed toward three primary areas: behavioral health support services, full-service partnership programs, and housing interventions.
Behavioral health support services will fund crisis care, outpatient treatment and early intervention programs, with 51% of those funds designated for early intervention efforts. More than half of that amount is required to serve individuals younger than 25.
Full-service partnership programs will provide intensive, team-based care for people with complex behavioral health needs, while housing intervention funds will support short-term housing, recovery residences, board-and-care facilities and permanent supportive housing. State requirements mandate that half of housing intervention funding be used to assist people experiencing chronic homelessness.
County officials said the plan will be submitted to the state following the board's approval, with implementation scheduled to begin July 1.
The plan, approved Tuesday, outlines how the county will allocate behavioral health funding under the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), which replaced California's Mental Health Services Act following the passage of Proposition 1 by voters in 2024.
Under the new law, counties are required to develop three-year plans detailing local behavioral health priorities and how available funding will be spent.
County officials said the planning process included more than 100 listening sessions during the past year and feedback from more than 1,900 residents and 280 organizations. Participants identified a need for faster access to behavioral health services, expanded support for children and young people, culturally responsive care, alternatives to law enforcement responses during behavioral health crises, and improved coordination across the behavioral health system.
"The feedback we received from our community stakeholders has been vital in shaping our first BHSA Integrated Plan," Nadia Privara Brahms, director of County Behavioral Health Services, said in a statement. "The plan reflects the ideas shared with us, integrating things like early intervention services, additional navigation supports, and culturally responsive programming."
The county's first-year plan includes a Behavioral Health Services Act budget of $329 million and accounts for all behavioral health funding sources. County officials estimate the plan will provide services annually to more than 52,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries, including more than 15,000 children, youth and young adults.
The plan also includes housing assistance for nearly 19,000 people with behavioral health needs.
Funding will be directed toward three primary areas: behavioral health support services, full-service partnership programs, and housing interventions.
Behavioral health support services will fund crisis care, outpatient treatment and early intervention programs, with 51% of those funds designated for early intervention efforts. More than half of that amount is required to serve individuals younger than 25.
Full-service partnership programs will provide intensive, team-based care for people with complex behavioral health needs, while housing intervention funds will support short-term housing, recovery residences, board-and-care facilities and permanent supportive housing. State requirements mandate that half of housing intervention funding be used to assist people experiencing chronic homelessness.
County officials said the plan will be submitted to the state following the board's approval, with implementation scheduled to begin July 1.
