California speeds up mental health landscape transformation

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Tuesday that the state is accelerating the first round of funding, made available by Prop 1, to transform the mental health landscape, focusing on the most seriously ill and unhoused people.

Speaking at a behavioral health center in Redwood City, Newsom said the state is speeding up the distribution of billions of dollars to counties to build outpatient, inpatient, and residential behavioral health facilities.

The Redwood City location is using money from the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing program, which has provided funding to short-term "bridge" housing settings since 2022 to address the housing needs of people experiencing homelessness who have serious behavioral health conditions.

Treatment centers and campuses like the one in Redwood City will be possible all across the state, Newsom said, because of the recently passed $6.38 billion bond which builds on state-funded construction over the last three years to open new treatment and housing sites.

Newsom said San Mateo County will be an early adopter of the CARE Act, not waiting for the December 1 deadline, to bring lifesaving help to people with untreated schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders.

Plus, the state has a new website, called MentalHealth.ca.gov, which will serve as a one-stop source for people in need of mental health support.