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Local mental‑health and seniors groups warn of service gaps as county awards $365,000 in one‑time grants
Summary
At the June 9 meeting, Choice and Aging, PEACE program staff and NAMI Solano warned the board that a funding transition will shutter PEACE services for older adults and that NAMI faces closure after losing MHSA funding; the board approved $365,000 in CIF annual grants while staff offered an emergency funding process.
Several community service providers asked the Solano County Board of Supervisors on June 9 to act quickly to prevent interruptions to mental‑health and senior support services while the board considered awards from the Community Investment Fund (CIF).
Choice and Aging leaders told the board that the county‑funded PEACE program — a safety‑net outreach program for older adults — will cease operations July 1 because of the transition from the Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63) to the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA). "The very services that keep women like I just described stable are going to be eliminated," Tracy Stacy said, urging improved communication about an RFP timeline and gap‑filling plans.
Debbie Toth, CEO of Choice and Aging, said the nonprofit had raised nearly $100,000 to cover up to two months of services while the county sorts procurement, but she requested clearer timelines for the RFP, contract term, and retroactivity so organizations and staff can plan.
At the Community Investment Fund presentation, staff recommended $365,000 in one‑time annual grants to five agencies (Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano; Planned Parenthood Northern California; Innovative Health Solutions; Food as Free Bay Area; and Rio Vista CARE SE) to address food security, behavioral health and family supports. The staff process received 32 eligible proposals and used external reviewers; staff recommended awards that would run July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 and asked the board to delegate contracting authority to the county administrator.
NAMI Solano leaders publicly objected to the recommended awards, saying their organization lost MHSA funding in the Prop 63→BHSA transition and now faces closure despite serving roughly 1,000 county residents annually. John McKenzie (NAMI president) and Deb Dello (outgoing executive director) said NAMI provides free outreach, education and peer supports and that the organization has "zero dollars" in ongoing funding. They urged the board to use emergency funds or other mechanisms to prevent an immediate service interruption.
County staff confirmed an existing $250,000 emergency set‑aside within county budgets intended to address urgent nonprofit funding crises and said NAMI could apply through the CIF emergency process; staff said the emergency fund is subject to application and review.
After discussion, the board voted to approve the staff CIF recommendations and to delegate contract execution authority; the motion carried 4‑0. Supervisors and staff acknowledged the public objections and indicated staff would work to clarify procurement schedules and emergency application steps for organizations facing immediate closure.
What happened next: staff will prepare contracts and return as required for execution; community groups said they would pursue the emergency funding application and continue to press for timely RFPs and communication on BHSA transitions.
Speakers on the record included Tracy Stacy and Debbie Toth (Choice and Aging / PEACE program), John McKenzie and Deb Dello (NAMI Solano), and Denise Winters (First 5 Solano / CIF program).
