Mental Health Services Act: Proposed Restructuring of the MHSA Funding Categories and Impacts on County Spending

Jul 13, 2023 - What are the trade-offs in reducing county spending flexibility? Background Current MHSA Funding Categories Funding Categories and Allocation of MHSA Revenues Under Current Law. Approved by voters in 2004, the MHSA places a 1  percent tax on personal income over $1  million and dedicates the associated revenues to mental health services.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4782

Mental Health Services Act: Proposed Bond to Fund Behavioral Health Facilities and Veterans Housing

Aug 17, 2023 - These sources include (1)  dedicated vehicle license fee and sales tax revenue streams known as “realignment ” funds, (2)  revenues from the Mental Health Services Fund (MHSF) —established by the MHSA and funded through a 1  percent tax on incomes over $1  million, and (3)  federal funding accessed through Medi-Cal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4790

The 2020-21 Budget: Analysis of the Medi-Cal Budget [Publication Details]

Feb 14, 2020 - We also discuss the administration’s recent submittal (late January 2020) of a modified managed care organization (MCO) tax proposal. We then provide analysis and recommendations on a series of key issues: (1) Recently proposed draft federal regulations referred to as the “Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Regulation;” (2) proposals related to the Medi‑Cal pharmacy services benefit;
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4161

The 2020-21 Budget: Analysis of the Medi-Cal Budget

Feb 14, 2020 - DHCS further proposes to implement a county performance monitoring dashboard that makes information on county performance relative to County Performance Standards and other potential measures yet to be identified public.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4161

The 2023-24 Budget: Analysis of the Medi-Cal Budget

Feb 10, 2023 - The one ‑time General Fund roughly covers counties ’ share of cost for the first three months of 2023 ‑24, mitigating potential disruptions to counties ’ cash ‑flow during the transition. Partial Delay of Funding for Behavioral Health Bridge Housing.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4675

The 2024-25 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis [Publication Details]

Feb 14, 2024 - The 2024-25 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis [Publication Details] Description: This brief provides an overview of the Governor’s proposed budget for Medi-Cal; describes key trends in Medi-Cal caseload; and analyzes proposals around the managed care organization tax, provider payment increases, and other budget solutions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4838

Mental Health Services Act: LAO Update: The Governor's Revised Behavioral Health Modernization Proposal

Aug 21, 2023 - How August 15 th Amendments to SB  326 Respond to Issue Increased County Flexibility to Shift Funding Between Categories … Our analysis of the Governor ’s initial proposal found that the proposed new funding categories likely would result in the need for counties to reduce or redirect spending on some current county programs and services.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4792

The 2021-22 Budget: Behavioral Health: Medi-Cal Student Services Funding Proposal

Feb 17, 2021 - In California, counties provide this comprehensive set of services through SMHS. Children ’s Eligibility for SMHS Determined by Both Counties and Managed Care Plans. As discussed earlier, county behavioral health is responsible for providing SMHS and managed care plans are responsible for providing non ‑SMHS.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4377

The 2021-22 Budget: Behavioral Health: Medi-Cal Student Services Funding Proposal [Publication Details]

Feb 17, 2021 - This post analyzes the Governor’s proposal in the Department of Health Care Services to provide $200 million General Fund ($400 million total funds) one time to provide incentive payments to Medi-Cal managed care plans to increase the number of students receiving behavioral health services.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4377

The 2021-22 Budget: Behavioral Health: Continuum Infrastructure Funding Proposal

Feb 17, 2021 - These sources include ( 1)  d edicated vehicle license fee and sales tax revenue streams known as “realignment ” funds, ( 2)  r evenues from the Mental Health Services Fund (MHSF) —funded through a 1  p ercent tax on incomes over $ 1  m illion, and ( 3)  f ederal funding accessed through Medi ‑Cal (California ’s state Medicaid program).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4379