Committee advances Mental Health Services Act three-year plan after questions on program-level budgets

The Budget and Finance Committee heard a presentation from the Department of Public Health on its proposed three-year Mental Health Services Act (MHSA, Proposition 63) program and expenditure plan for fiscal years 2017–18 through 2019–20.

Imo Momo, director of MHSA program planning at the Department of Public Health, summarized the statute (Prop. 63) and the plan development process, including 11 community forums and a 30-day public comment period. Momo said MHSA revenues are volatile because they are funded by a 1% tax on personal income above $1 million and that a five-year trend averages about $26,200,000 annually. He gave year examples showing volatility (about $32 million in FY14–15, $26 million in FY15–16, and $32 million in FY16–17). Momo said the MHSA prudent reserve currently holds about $3,500,000 and there are roughly $11,000,000 of unspent MHSA funds available.

Supervisor Norman Yee pushed for clearer, program-level budget numbers and said the committee would prefer a condensed budget sheet rather than a 120-plus-page document. Momo said the full plan (more than 120 pages) was submitted and that the MHSA program budget is roughly $35,000,000 (about 10% of the Behavioral Health Services budget). The Department representatives said allocations follow MHSA statutory components (including community support services, prevention and early intervention, workforce development, capital facilities and technology, and innovation) with statutory percentage distributions and transfer rules.

With no public comment, the committee voted to send the MHSA three-year program and expenditure plan to the full Board with a positive recommendation; Supervisor Yee made the motion and it was accepted without objection.