We appreciate your involvement in Phase One of the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) Community Planning Process. You can receive updates regarding Behavioral Health Services and upcoming Behavioral Health Commission meetings by joining the BHS Distribution List.
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.
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Advancing community-defined practices as a key strategy of reducing health disparities and increasing community representation.
| Timeline |
Ongoing
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Early 2025
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Early 2025
|
BHSA
Integrated Plan |
Community and System Engagement will be utilized throughout all milestones to inform plan and policy creation.
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BHSA Plan Guidance and Policy will be released by DHCS in phases.
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The BHSA Community Planning
Process will begin once the
integrated guidance and policies
are released by DHCS.
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New Integrated Plans, fiscal transparency, and data reporting requirements go live in July 2026
(for next three-year cycle).
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*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
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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.
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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.
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