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Board approves $29 million in specialty mental‑health contracts; county and providers form health‑care collaborative
Summary
The board unanimously approved five specialty mental‑health provider agreements totaling $29,026,234 for the 2025–26 fiscal year and accepted a presentation on a newly formed Mendocino County health‑care collaborative to coordinate behavioral and physical health services.
The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors on June 24 approved five specialty mental‑health contracts the county will administer on behalf of Medi‑Cal beneficiaries and authorized the county to continue work on a multi‑agency Mendocino County Health Care Collaborative.
Contracts approved and budgeted (effective 07/01/2025–06/30/2026): - Anchor Health Management, Inc. — medication support services: $2,900,000 - Mendocino Coast Hospitality Center — $551,000 - Mendocino County Youth Project — $810,000 - Redwood Community Services — $16,187,934 - Tapestry Family Services — $8,577,300 Total combined amount: $29,026,234
Why it matters: Mendocino County operates the county specialty mental‑health plan and contracts with community providers to deliver Medi‑Cal specialty behavioral health services. Those services include crisis and inpatient follow‑up, outpatient therapy, case management, and programs intended to divert people from higher‑cost settings.
Presentation and discussion: Dr. Janine Miller, director of Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS), reviewed the county’s role as the Medi‑Cal specialty mental‑health plan, funding limitations (1991 and 2011 realignment and MHSA) and system metrics the department tracks: timely follow‑up after psychiatric hospitalization, readmission rates, first‑service wait times, and consumer satisfaction survey results. Dr. Miller and provider partners outlined the new Mendocino County Health Care Collaborative — a multi‑institution memorandum‑of‑understanding designed to let clinics, hospitals, behavioral‑health providers and public health share information (via business‑associate agreements and common consent forms), coordinate referrals and conduct multidisciplinary case reviews.
Board action: A motion to accept the BHRS presentation and approve the five provider agreements as presented carried unanimously.
State and federal budget risk: Dr. Miller and several provider representatives warned that proposed state and federal Medi‑Cal funding reductions could threaten clinics and behavioral‑health programs in rural areas. Multiple speakers, including hospital and provider leaders, urged the board and county staff to coordinate state and federal advocacy and to monitor impacts closely.
Next steps: BHRS and the collaborative partners will pursue a business‑associate agreement, standardize consent language across partners and continue work to align referrals and data sharing. BHRS staff said it had submitted a proposal for Prop 47 grant funding (for community treatment supports) to expand sheriff‑linked outreach and services immediately if awarded.
