Committee approves San Francisco MHSA annual update, highlights program outcomes and funding volatility

The Budget and Finance Committee recommended adoption of the San Francisco Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) annual update for fiscal year 2018–19.

Imo Momo, who oversees the MHSA program for San Francisco, said MHSA is funded by a 1 percent tax on individual income above $1 million and that revenue is volatile; a recently passed state Senate bill sets a cap on prudence reserves at roughly $7.7 million. "That amount is approximately $7,700,000," Momo said, describing the statutory formula used to calculate the cap. He summarized how MHSA funding is allocated across five components (Community Services and Supports; Prevention and Early Intervention; Innovation; Workforce Education and Training; Capital Facilities and Technology) and reported program outcomes, including declines in mental‑health and substance‑use emergencies among participants in full‑service partnership programs and improvements in student coping reported in school‑based wellness centers.

Momo said the local projected MHSA revenue for 2018–19 is about $35 million with projected expenditures of about $33.3 million and described planned expansions for transitional‑age youth programs and innovation projects such as online psychoeducation to reduce isolation. Supervisors asked about the effect of the ongoing state litigation over a related bond measure and about demographic breakdowns of service recipients; Momo said local impacts are being monitored and that demographic reporting is included in the presentation materials. The committee approved the annual update with a positive recommendation to the full Board.