Santa Clara County officials were in the throes of a mental health crisis four years ago and took action to expand treatment. That progress is about to be scaled back as the county confronts an extreme budget shortfall.
The Behavioral Health Services Department faces a $100 million deficit in the coming fiscal year due to an array of issues that include federal cuts to Medi-Cal triggered by H.R. 1, changes in state funding for mental health services, the end of one-time COVID-19 dollars and rising cost of living. That’s all forcing the department to pay more toward supportive housing for patients.
The biggest hit comes from a shift in how the state mandates the way money is spent, with more emphasis placed on acute care rather than preventive services. County leaders had ramped up preventive services by implementing more residential treatment facilities, adding a behavior health navigator program, launching a police alternative with a mental health mobile crisis program known as TRUST and other proactive efforts. Now they are reevaluating future plans…