Public input sought on Mental Health Services Act

In the 2004 California election, voters passed Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), mandating a one percent increase in income taxes for individuals with incomes over $1 million to expand mental health services. The MHSA funds mental health services that are "recovery and resiliency" focused to children and their families, transitional age youth, adults and older adults. MHSA programs must provide integrated service experiences that are client and family driven, wellness, recovery and resilience focused, culturally competent, and include community collaboration. The MHSA addresses a broad continuum of prevention, early intervention, service needs, and the necessary infrastructure, technology and training elements that will effectively support this system.

Now its time for plan on where and how the funds will be used in El Dorado County and the Behavioral Health Division of the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency invites the public to provide input on the County’s Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Three-Year Plan for Fiscal Years 2017/18 through 2019/20. Community members can provide input by email, online survey or at an upcoming community meeting. Community meetings to receive input for the MHSA plan are scheduled as follows:

Thursday, October 6, 2016, at 9:00 a.m. at Lake Tahoe Community College in the Aspen Room, located at 1 College Way in South Lake Tahoe; hosted by South Lake Tahoe Mental Health Cooperative.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016, at 4:00 p.m. at the Hut, located at 6450 Wentworth Springs Road in Georgetown; hosted by Drug Free Divide.

Thursday, October 20, 2016, at 9:30 a.m. at Diamond Sunrise Apartments, located at 4015 Panther Lane in Diamond Springs; hosted by the Commission on Aging.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016, at 5:30 p.m. at the Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic, located at 768 Pleasant Valley Road, Suite 201, in Diamond Springs; hosted by EDC Behavioral Health.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016, at 5:30 p.m. at the El Dorado County Government Center, Building A, Conference Room A, located at 330 Fair Lane in Placerville; hosted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Wednesday, November 16, 2016, at 8:00 a.m. at the Health and Human Services Agency in the Sierra Room, located at 3057 Briw Road in Placerville; hosted by the ACE’s Collaborative.

California voters passed MHSA (Proposition 63) in November 2004; the law was enacted January 1, 2005. MHSA places a 1% tax on personal incomes over $1,000,000. Counties receive funds through the State with the goal of transforming the public mental health system into one that is consumer and family driven, recovery oriented, accessible, and culturally competent.

For a copy of the current MHSA plan, please visit www.edcgov.us/MentalHealth/MHSA.aspx. To provide input on the plan via online survey, go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FV3QCYS Input on the plan update and questions can also be emailed to MHSA@edcgov.us. For more information, please contact Laura Walny at (530) 621-6340.