State hospitals seek $3.4 billion budget; department cites staffing, caseload shifts and ETP results

The Department of State Hospitals told the California State Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on May 1 that the Governor’s 2025–26 budget for the department proposes $3,400,000,000 and 38 new positions to maintain operations and pursue capital improvements.

The department's director, Stephanie Clendenin, said the budget request also reflects proposed vacancy reductions and state operations cuts intended to produce one-time and ongoing savings without reducing care at most facilities. Clendenin said the vacancy reductions, pursuant to control section 4.12, would eliminate 71.1 vacant positions and save $20,400,000, and state operations reductions pursuant to control section 4.05 would reduce the budget by $8,800,000. "The vacant position reductions are not anticipated to have any significant impact since the majority of these positions include positions associated with closed patient units," Clendenin said.

Why it matters: DSH runs the state forensic and civil hospital system that serves patients with the most complex behavioral health treatment needs, including those found incompetent to stand trial (IST) or committed under Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) procedures. Funding and staffing decisions affect capacity for inpatient care,…