Building California’s Behavioral Health Infrastructure: Progress Update and Opportunities for the Proposition 1 Bond

Feb 5, 2025 - In 2021 ‑2022, 17  percent of Californians aged 12 and over had an SUD, but in 2022 fewer than 20  percent of those needing SUD treatment received it. (SUD rates cited here are significantly higher than in prior years due to an updated methodology used by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4954

The 2022-23 Budget: Governor's Proposals for CDCR Operations

Feb 8, 2022 - Accordingly, inmates who are part of ISUDTP are assigned to SUD treatment based on whether they are assessed to have a medical need for such treatment. To identify a medical need for SUD treatment, health care staff screen inmates for SUD with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Quick Screen.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4517

Overview and Update on the Prison Receivership

Nov 8, 2023 - In contrast, ISUDTP is designed to transform SUD treatment from being structured as a rehabilitation program intended to reduce recidivism into a medical program intended to reduce SUD ‑related deaths, emergencies, and hospitalizations.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4813

^[PDF] Overview of Proposition 36 Fiscal Impacts and Selected Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs

One major change impacting people with SUD issues was that prior to the BHSA, people had to have co-occurring mental health and SUD challenges to receive services funded from the millionaire’s tax. Proposition 1 changed the law so that people with only SUD challenges could receive such services.
https://lao.ca.gov/handouts/crimjust/2025/Fiscal-Impacts-of-Proposition-36-022525.pdf

^[PDF] The 2022-23 Budget: Governor’s Proposals for CDCR Operations

Accordingly, inmates who are part of ISUDTP are assigned to SUD treatment based on whether they are assessed to have a medical need for such treatment. To identify a medical need for SUD treatment, health care staff screen inmates for SUD with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Quick Screen.
https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2022/4517/CDCR-020822.pdf

^[PDF] Overview of Proposition 1 Funding Changes and Assessment of Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program

Eligible Populations Expanded to Individuals With SUD. Prior to Proposition 1, individuals with SUD challenges had to have a co-occuring mental health challenge to receive services funded from the millionaire’s tax.
https://lao.ca.gov/handouts/Health/2025/Prop-1-Funding-Changes-and-Assmt-of-Behavioral-Health-030425.pdf

^[PDF] Individuals may also participate in narcotic treatment programs

Individuals may also participate in narcotic treatment programs or receive SUD medications. Many behavioral health services in the education system are also provided in outpatient settings, such as school-based mental health services. „ Inpatient Services.
https://lao.ca.gov/handouts/Health/2024/Behaviorial-Health-System-Overview-042224.pdf

^[PDF] Building California’s Behavioral Health Infrastructure Progress Update and Opportunities for the Proposition 1 Bond

Prioritizing Medi-Cal enrollees in this way also targets resources to Medi-Cal enrollees who are disproportionately affected by SMI and SUD. SUD = substance use disorder and STRTP = Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program.
https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2025/4954/Building-CA-Behavorial-Health-Infrastructure-Progress-Update-020525.pdf

^[PDF] Overview and Update on the Prison Receivership

In contrast, ISUDTP is designed to transform SUD treatment from being structured as a rehabilitation program intended to reduce recidivism into a medical program intended to reduce SUD-related deaths, emergencies, and hospitalizations.
https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2023/4813/prison-receivership-110823.pdf

^[PDF] Overview of Funding for Medi-Cal Mental Health Services

The behavioral health subaccount also funds county SUD services responsibilities (Medi-Cal and non-Medi-Cal) and there are no requirements for how counties allocate subaccount funds between the mental health and SUD services they provide. 2011 Local Realignment revenues for counties for behavioral health were over $1.4 billion in 2017-18.
https://lao.ca.gov/handouts/health/2019/Funding-Medi-Cal-Mental-Health-Services-022619.pdf