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Commission staff review Mental Health Wellness Act projects: EMPATH units, MAT expansion and peer respite planning
Summary
Acting assistant deputy Kelly Clark updated the PAC on Mental Health Wellness Act spending and upcoming procurements, describing EMPATH units (9 grantees), three MAT grantees (Los Angeles, Nevada, Marin), a 0–5 maternal behavioral health hub‑and‑spoke project (6 grantees), a new peer‑respite RFA and $10M for FSP performance management. Staff stressed sustainability, billing alignment and data‑driven quality improvement.
Kelly Clark, acting assistant deputy at commission staff, presented the committee with a status update on Mental Health Wellness Act projects and the procurement timeline for future rounds. Clark said MHWA is grounded in statute at $20,000,000 per year and summarized a portfolio of current and planned projects, including nine EMPATH (emergency psychiatric assessment, treatment and healing) units in various stages of development across the state, a medication‑for‑addiction‑treatment (MAT) expansion with three grantees (Los Angeles County, Nevada County and Marin County), and a 0–5 maternal behavioral health hub‑and‑spoke program with six grantees.
"These projects are incredibly valuable to the community," Clark said, and emphasized sustainability and alignment with billing mechanisms so grantees can transition to long‑term stability. Clark described a new peer respite RFA released this month and a two‑phase full‑service partnership (FSP) project: a $10,000,000 performance‑management contract now in early contract stages and a second phase for integrating SUD and housing supports that will be released via RFP.
Procurement timing mirrors other grant streams: county engagement this summer, outline drafting in September, internal and external vetting in October, PAC review in November, commission review in January 2027 and a planned RFA release in February 2027 to meet a May 2027 intent‑to‑award target. Clark underlined a need for data systems to drive continuous improvement and for technical assistance to help grantees leverage billing opportunities.
A virtual commenter encouraged staff to solicit input from community‑based organizations in addition to county behavioral health directors, underscoring that some local programs exist outside county purview.
