BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT
REQUIREMENTS GO LIVE JULY 2026
Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) makes significant revisions to the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), including:
- Updating allocations for local services and modifies how MHSA funds are allocated.
- Broadening target population to include individuals with substance use disorders.
-
Advancing community-defined practices as a key strategy of reducing health disparities and increasing community representation.
| Timeline |
Ongoing
|
Early 2025
|
Early 2025
|
BHSA
Integrated Plan |
Community and System Engagement will be utilized throughout all milestones to inform plan and policy creation.
|
BHSA Plan Guidance and Policy will be released by DHCS in phases.
|
The BHSA Community Planning
Process will begin once the
integrated guidance and policies
are released by DHCS.
|
New Integrated Plans, fiscal transparency, and data reporting requirements go live in July 2026
(for next three-year cycle).
|
*Behavioral Health Transformation (BHT) is the effort that will implement Proposition 1. The two legislative bills that created the language in Proposition 1 are:
· Behavioral Health Services Act SB 326
· Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act AB 531
|
Funding Allocations
Housing (30%):
- Children and families, youth, adults, and older adults living with SMI/SED and/or SUD who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
- 50% is prioritized for housing interventions for the chronically homeless with BH challenges.
- Includes rental subsidies, operating subsidies, shared and family housing, capital, and the non-federal share for certain transitional rent.
| 
|
Full Service Partnership (FSP) (35%)
- Mental health, supportive services, and substance use disorder treatment services.
- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
- Community-defined evidence practices (CDEP)
- Assertive Community Treatment /Forensic Assertive Community Treatment, Supported employment, & high fidelity wraparound are required.
- Outpatient behavioral health services, either clinic or field based, necessary for on-going evaluation and stabilization of an enrolled individual.
- On-going engagement services necessary to maintain enrolled individuals in their treatment plan inclusive of clinical and non-clinical services, including services to support maintaining housing.
*Counties will have the flexibility to move up to 7% of funding from one category to another to allow counties to address their different local needs and priorities. |
Behavioral Health Services and Supports (BHSS) (35%)
- Early intervention, outreach and engagement,
- workforce education and training, capital facilities, technological needs, and innovative pilots and projects.
- 51% must be used for Early Intervention services to assist in the early signs of mental illness or substance misuse.
- 51% of Early Intervention services and supports must be for people 25 years and younger.
|
