Mental Health Services Act Annual Plan Update
Available for Public Comment

(Santa Ana, CA) - The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) announces the availability of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19 Mental Health Services Act Plan Update for public review and comment at www.ochealthinfo.com/mhsa through April 4, 2018.

In November 2004, California voters passed Proposition 63, also known as the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). The Act implemented a 1% state tax on income over $1 million and emphasizes transforming the mental health system to improve the quality of life for individuals living with mental illness and their families. With 13 years of funding, mental health programs have been tailored to meet the needs of diverse clientele in each county in California. As a result, local communities and their residents are experiencing the benefits of expanded and improved mental health services.
 
HCA’s Behavioral Health Services team has used a comprehensive stakeholder process to develop local MHSA programs that range from prevention services to crisis residential care. Central to the development and implementation of all programs is the focus on community collaboration, cultural competence, consumer- and family-driven services, service integration for consumers and families, prioritization of serving the unserved and underserved, and a focus on wellness, recovery and resilience. The current array of services, with an annual budget of $218.9 million for FY 2018-19, was developed incrementally, starting with the planning efforts of stakeholders in 2005 and continuing to present day. Initiatives included in the updated plan will provide increased services to populations experiencing mental illness in Orange County, including those who are homeless.

This Update increases funding for the Community Services and Supports and the Capital Facilities and Technological Needs components, and maintains but re-distributes funding within the Prevention and Early Intervention and the Workforce Education and Training components.

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