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Sonoma County staff warn Prop 1 conversion will shrink behavioral health flexibility, force $9 million shift
Summary
County Health Services staff told the Board that California's Prop 1 (BHSA) converts the Mental Health Services Act into a more prescriptive Behavioral Health Services Act, adds housing and substance-use requirements, and will require local budget and contract changes that staff estimate could affect about $9 million in current programs.
County health officials presented to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 16 a high-level plan for implementing Proposition 1'the conversion of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) into the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA)'and warned it will tighten how counties may spend the same pot of money.
Nolan Sullivan, Department of Health Services director, said the statewide conversion takes effect July 1, 2026, and "does not add new dollars; in fact, we get less dollars" once the state reallocates portions for workforce and prevention. Sullivan said staff have identified about $9,000,000 in funds that will no longer be available to support some programs previously paid for under MHSA, and estimated the county's FY 2026'7 BHSA allocation at roughly $33,000,000.
Why it matters: Under BHSA, counties must dedicate a new housing allocation (30% of BHSA funds) and explicitly include substance-use care in the funding pool. Sullivan told the board this creates "layers of…
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