May 12, 2021

CBHDA Applauds Governor’s Unprecedented Proposed Investments in County Behavioral Health Infrastructure for Children, Youth, and Families

SACRAMENTO – The County Behavioral Health Directors Association applauds Governor Gavin Newsom and the Administration for acknowledging the youth behavioral health crisis in today’s announcement of a $4 billion commitment to behavioral health to better support the social-emotional well-being of students.

“The combined $250 million bricks and mortar and close to a billion in proposed workforce investments, combined with the Governor’s existing proposed $750 million for the county behavioral health continuum, demonstrate a true commitment to taking on the stigma of mental illness and substance use disorders and to widening the doors to comprehensive, accessible treatment,” said Michelle Doty Cabrera, Executive Director of CBHDA.

“When surveyed, 85% of California counties reported that they provide comprehensive school-based mental health and substance use disorder services. County behavioral health agencies stand ready to leverage this significant existing public investment to ensure that all California’s children, regardless of insurance, have prompt access to specialty behavioral health services,” said Cabrera. “We look forward to strengthening our partnership with the state in building out our public delivery system through overdue infrastructure and workforce investments in developing these proposals.”