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Board authorizes submission of draft Behavioral Health Services Act plan; one supervisor objects
Summary
Behavioral Health staff presented changes required by the state's Behavioral Health Services Act (replacement of MHSA), described allocation shifts and evidence‑based practice requirements, and the board authorized the County Administrative Officer to submit the county's draft integrated plan for state review; one supervisor said they could not support the legislative approach and registered a 'no' on policy grounds.
Sarah Evans, MHSA coordinator for behavioral health, and Josh Stantrell, admin services manager, reviewed the transition from the Mental Health Services Act to the Behavioral Health Services Act and described required changes: expanded scope to include substance use disorders, new reporting and allocation rules, and a state timeline for an integrated three‑year plan. Evans told the board BHSA "switches from not just focusing on mental health, but also including the substance use disorder, expanding the eligible population," and outlined the proposed allocation adjustments and evidence‑based practice requirements.
Board members asked procedural and legislative questions about who developed the policy (DHCS and the Legislature) and the process for public comment. The board moved to authorize the County Administrative Officer to sign and submit the draft plan for state review; the chair moved the motion and it was seconded. One supervisor stated, "I can't support it. So I am a no," citing concerns about the legislative approach. County staff said the draft will return for final local approval after a public‑comment period and DHCS review.
