California Gov. Gavin Newsom has tweaked his mental health proposal that could determine the state's mental healthcare spending over the next 20 years, according to an Aug. 16 report from Politico.
Mr. Newsom has been working on the proposal for four years, prioritizing communities suffering from homelessness, substance use issues and mental health disorders and moving away from prevention services and early interventions. His goal is to split the money each county spends into three parts: housing assistance, a "whatever it takes approach" for intensive services and all other programs.
However, there has been backlash surrounding potential financial cuts for youth mental health programs in favor of providing increased funding for housing and treatment for homeless and seriously ill people. Mr. Newsom spoke of potential adjustments to the proposal, as it would need to be approved by the legislature to be included on the March primary ballot.
The final proposal is meant to allow counties more flexibility in spending by setting aside money for children's services and retaining and expanding the independent commission overseeing the funds.