SACRAMENTO >> Gov. Gavin Newson appearing at the capitol promised, with Proposition 1 funding that state is able to issue a $6.38 billion bond that will reconcile the failures of decades of past neglect to address needs of 100’s of thousand struggling in California with mental health and substance abuse disorder.
Newsom reminded his audience, in 1959, the state was at its peak of available hospital beds, with 37,000. Yet today, there are only 5,500 medical care beds for a population that is now more than twice what it was in 1959.
Kim Johnson, secretary of California Health & Human Services Agency, noted the state is now building more service options, which means California is making it easier to receive the right care at the right time by focusing on prevention, early health comprehensive services, determined by need and long-term recovery, Californians can be healthier and its communities stronger. “This work is part of a larger plan in California which we call, mental health for all; and is building a stronger and more equitable health system,” she said.
The goal is to make sure every Californian, especially the people who have the hardest time getting health care, can get high quality mental health and substance abuse treatment, when and where they need it. This plan is supported by major investments, new policies and close partnerships, Johnson added current health investment, is providing 1,500 wellness coaches and embedding peer specialists into a myriad of medical programs.
“More people are receiving timely support for untreated mental health and substance abuse challenges and lead to better outcomes with schoolwork and daily life,” said Johnson. “These include employment services and substance abuse disorders, meeting the needs of young Californians today Johnson added. Meanwhile, investments are intentionally integrated to expand access to effective care, which reduces overdoses and addresses homelessness. “We’ve created or enhanced over 450 mobile crises teams,” she said. “This care act process is preventing more restrictive conservatorships, or incarcerations for those with serious mental illness from the start.”
Also, California has invested $1 billion to fight opioid addiction, while the anti-overdose drug Naloxone is offered free or at reduce prices at eligible organizations. The number of reported overdose deaths has dropped by 20% in the prior year. “California is setting clear measurable goals to track progress,” Johnson said. And now, agencies are required to monitor services’ effectiveness as well as report outcomes.
During the spring primary campaign of 2024, California Proposition 1 qualified for the ballot and passed by a majority vote. Yet the alternative of those lost beds, cited by Newsom were never realized. “But that’s what we set out to do over the course of the course of the last many years,” Newsom said. But this history of significant loss of treatment facilities dates back to 2021, Newsom explained. This was when the Rand Corporation published a study that acknowledged that 1959 bed count Newsom quoted above.
“We advocated significant enhancement of care and include it in the budget at the time (2021)., to address the imperative of constructing these facilities and providing support for treatment at that time.” As it turned out, The Governor was successful with his request with the legislature for advancing his effort to try to make up for the prior three decades of neglect.
Back in 2021, the medical community highlighted the need for 1,700 residential beds yet with a critical imperative of servicing outpatients within the state and therefore highlighted the need for significant enhancement. And through initial efforts that first year, were able to raise seed money of $1.7 billion, as an imperative of constructing necessary facilities and providing support for treatment and successful in 2021 in requesting of the legislature to make up for the previous decades of financing negligence.
With a general fund limited to a modest scale, Newsom attempted a gambit, in a bold scale promise that ultimately tried to substantially address the funding gap which existed at the time. “We highlighted the need to do something better,” Newsom recalled. “That led to Prop. 1 and voters supported a $6.38 billion bond,” he said. “It also promoted 23,700 treatments and in turn, led to 11,150 new beds.”
The on July 17, 2024, the Governor’s Office put out notices of funding availability. “We were not saying $3.3 billion was available, we were saying $3.3 billion was being distributed … for 124 projects and supporting 214 facilities- and you’ll see almost every part of the state is covered, 54 out of 58 counties will be recipients.”
Already some successful projects will soon be operating, one in Orange County in 2026, and another in Los Angels County in 2027. The $6.38 billion bond has approximately $2 Billion dedicated to what is called Home Key Plus, which means it already obtained land zoning, land use reforms and includes $1 billion for Veterans. “We’re finally seeing facilities take shape but need for beds is overwhelming,” said Newsom. “It’s not about driving these projects to completion but it’s critical now that local government does everything in its power to address local permitting. And California has done everything it can as relates to overriding these exemptions to CEQA.” He went on the state want to keep as many out of County jail and out of California Department of Corrections or ever retuning to any detention. And when it comes to street populations Newsom pledges to put real resolve in his budget. “What you’re seeing new with the homeless is accountability that’s now part of the housing accountability,” Newsom said. “We’ll do more, and we’ll have to do more. We have a model ordinance at the state.”
