CSAC Bulletin Article

Health and Human Services 01/18/2013

California Senate President Steinberg Proposes Federal Mental Health Initiative in Wake of Gun Violence

California Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg forwarded a mental health services framework to United States Vice President Joseph Biden this week that seeks a $10 billion federal investment in key mental health services. 

Senator Steinberg’s proposal was offered to Vice President Biden’s Task Force on Gun Violence, which was formed in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut tragedy in December. Senator Steinberg has long been a supporter of mental health services in California, and he sees opportunities with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act to build more robust mental health service ssytem in our communities. The proposed framework also builds on some of the successes of California’s Mental Health Services Act (MHSA, or Proposition 63). Senator Steinberg’s proposal includes:

  • $1.2 billion for prevention and early intervention efforts
  • $800 million for school-based health center services
  • $8 billion to “treat the whole person,” a method that prescribes a full continuum of services for people with severe mental illness similar to California’s Full Service Partnerships.

Senator Steinberg will travel to Washington, D.C. next week to present his proposal and discuss the framework. View Senator Steinberg’s letter to Vice President Biden, press release, and documents outlining the proposal here.

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