July 13, 2023 - In this post, we analyze how county spending may change under the Governor’s proposed changes to the Mental Health Services Act’s funding categories.
August 21, 2023 - In this post, we update key issues raised in our prior analyses based on the August 15th amendments to the Governor’s Behavioral Health Modernization proposal.
July 13, 2023 - In this post, we evaluate the changes in the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission’s role and responsibilities under the Governor’s proposal.
August 16, 2023 - Presented to: Senate Committee on Health
August 22, 2023 - Presented to: Assembly Committee on Health and Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development
July 13, 2023 - In this post, we analyze the revenue volatility of MHSA funding as well as the impact of the Governor’s proposed reduction in allowable county reserves.
February 28, 2023 - Presented to: Assembly Committee on Health Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health and Human Services
April 22, 2024 - Presented to: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health
August 17, 2023 - In this post, we assess the Governor’s proposed bond for behavioral health facilities and housing for veterans.
February 12, 2021 - In this post, we provide background on school-based mental health services, describe the Governor’s proposals aimed at increasing such services, provide our assessments of the proposals, and offer associated recommendations.
October 22, 2021 - The spending plan provides $33.7 billion General Fund for health programs. This is an increase of $6.7 billion, or 25 percent, compared to the revised 2020‑21 spending level. This year-over-year increase primarily is due to significant growth in projected General Fund spending in Medi-Cal. About two-thirds of the increase in General Fund Medi-Cal spending reflects technical budget adjustments (for example, adjustments due to projected caseload increases), while the remaining one-third reflects a large number of discretionary policy augmentations.
October 10, 2017 - Presented to: Senate Human Services Committee and Assembly Human Services Committee.
March 3, 2022 - This brief analyzes the Governor’s three major behavioral health budget proposals. We include analyses of the Governor’s proposals to (1) provide funding for behavioral health bridge housing, (2) provide funding to implement certain solutions developed by the felony incompetent to stand trial solutions workgroup, and (3) add mobile crisis intervention services as a new Medi-Cal benefit.
October 15, 2020 - From the General Fund, the 2020-21 spending plan provides $26.7 billion for health programs—an increase of 3 percent over estimated 2019-20 General Fund spending for these programs. The year-over-year net increase in General Fund spending is largely due to the projected COVID-19-related increase in the Medi-Cal caseload. The post describes major health-related actions (both policy actions and various budget adjustments) adopted by the Legislature as part of its 2020-21 spending plan. These actions include the offsetting of what would otherwise be General Fund costs with (1) revenues from the federally approved reauthorized tax on managed care organizations and (2) federal Medicaid funds that are being provided to the state at an enhanced level during the term of the public health emergency.
February 17, 2021 - This post analyzes the Governor’s proposal in the Department of Health Care Services to provide $750 million General Fund—on a one-time basis—in competitive grants to counties to acquire or renovate facilities for community behavioral health services.
August 21, 2019 - Assembly Committee on Accountability and Administrative Review and Assembly Committee on Health