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Monterey County opens public comment on BHSA integrated plan as state shifts behavioral health funding
Summary
Monterey County Behavioral Health staff outlined the county’s BHSA integrated plan at an April 15 briefing and invited public comment April 3–May 18. County officials warned the transition from the Mental Health Services Act to the Behavioral Health Services Act narrows eligible populations and increases compliance requirements, and they asked the public to highlight local needs and potential gaps.
Monterey County Behavioral Health on April 15 outlined its BHSA (Behavioral Health Services Act) integrated plan and opened a public comment period running April 3 through May 18.
Shannon Castro, who led the briefing, said the BHSA transition is more than a name change: it alters how counties plan, fund and deliver behavioral health services. "The BHSA integrated plan is a required element of the behavioral health services act and is currently open for public comment from April 3 to May 18," Shannon Castro said, urging community members and providers to review the draft and submit input.
County staff identified three primary choices shaping the plan: phasing funding alignment to avoid abrupt disruptions, prioritizing specialty behavioral health services for people with the most complex needs, and investing in provider education and technical assistance to help partners meet new requirements.
Officials also warned that BHSA imposes a more rigorous accountability environment — greater emphasis on compliance, documentation and alignment with state guidance that county staff said has continued to be released through 2025 and early 2026. A county staff member noted that the change reduces some local flexibility previously available under the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA): "The population that's being shifted out of BHSA funds is the general at-risk populations," the staff member said.
One staff speaker summarized the statewide political context: "The California voters passed this bill by a very very narrow margin, 0.4%, but it's now the statutory reality in the state," the presenter said, explaining why counties must manage trade-offs between specialty care and upstream prevention services.
How to comment: Staff gave submission details: email ehsa@countyofmonterey.gov or bhsa@countyofmonterey.gov, mail to 1270 Natividad Road, Salinas, CA 93906, or join the BHSA contact list for updates. Flyers and submission instructions were made available.
What they want from the public: County staff asked commenters to describe community needs, eligibility or service gaps and how the changes affect people who rely on prevention or upstream services.
Provenance: discussion and public comment instructions for the BHSA integrated plan (SEG 672–SEG 1009).
Speakers quoted: Shannon Castro (Behavioral Health Services Coordinator); Fabricio (Assistant Bureau Chief); county staff (Behavioral Health).
