Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)

Community meetings planned to gather MHSA input

Interested in learning more about the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)? Curious about what changes Proposition 1 could have on MHSA? The Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services will be participating in—and hosting—a series of regional meetings to share information and gather input for the 2024-2025 MHSA Annual Update.

There will be a combination of in-person and virtual meetings (via Zoom): 

• Southern Humboldt Working Together – Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023
  Noon-1 p.m. – Meeting ID: 935 8686 0382 – Passcode: SoHumWorks 
• Eastern Humboldt (Zoom) – Friday, Jan. 5, 2024
  Noon-1:30 p.m. – Meeting ID: 161 659 9670 – Passcode: dQLG5i 
• Eureka – Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024
  Noon-1:30 p.m. – In-person at the DHHS Professional Building, 507 F St.
• Eastern Humboldt (Hoopa)– Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024
  5:30-6:30 p.m. – In-person at the KTJUSD District Office Board Room, 11800 State Highway 96
• Eel River Valley (Fortuna)– Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024
  Noon-1:30 p.m. – In-person at the Adventist Community Service/Humboldt Alcohol Recovery Treatment Program, 2331 Rohnerville Road
• Northern Humboldt (Blue Lake) – Friday, Jan. 19, 2024
  12:30-1:30 p.m. – In-person at the Blue Lake Community Resource Center, 111 Greenwood Ave. 
• Southern Humboldt (Garberville) – Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024
  Noon-1:30 p.m. – In-person at the Garberville Library Conference Room, 715 Cedar St.

Proposition 63, also known as MHSA, was passed by California voters in 2004 and places a 1 percent tax on personal incomes greater than $1 million to fund the development and expansion of mental health services for children, youth, adults and older adults. 

For more information about the meetings or to RSVP, email mhsacomments@co.humboldt.ca.us or call 707-441-3770.

Purpose

The MHSA addresses a broad continuum of prevention, early intervention, and service needs:

• Older Adults and Dependent Adults Program provides in-home services to disabled adults, at- risk adults and older adults including outreach, education, assessment and treatment.
• Regional Services reaches out and engages adults living in the outlying areas of Humboldt County and provides services to them as needed.
• Comprehensive Community Treatment provides intensive community services and supports to clients to decrease hospitalization and achieve recovery.
• The Hope Center is a peer-run center that provides peer-to-peer education and support, system navigation and linkage to services.
• Transition Age Youth (TAY) Advocacy and Peer Support provides activities for youth and young adults ages 16-26 that are responsive to their needs, fostering youth development, advocacy, community engagement and youth wellness.
• Suicide Prevention Program provides community education, outreach and engagement, and capacity building assistance around suicide prevention.
• Parent Partners offer assistance in navigating the DHHS system, linking parents and caregivers with community resources, building natural supports and helping them identify their personal wellness goals.
• Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) provides funding to the Humboldt County Office of Education to support the adoption and organization of evidence-based behavioral interventions that enhances academic and social behavior outcomes for all students.

Plans or Updates

The MHSA 2023-2026 Three-Year Plan received Board of Supervisor approval on June 27, 2023. The finalized plan can be accessed here: MHSA Three-Year Plan for 2023-2026 (PDF). 

The 2024/25 Annual Update is now in development. Are you a stakeholder who wants to learn more about MHSA or do you work for an organization that would like to schedule an MHSA presentation? Email mhsacomments@co.humboldt.ca.us for more information and to schedule.  An MHSA stakeholder schedule is currently in development and will be posted in fall 2023.

To provide feedback, email: mhsacomments@co.humboldt.ca.us or call 707-441-3770 or toll-free at 866-320-8911. Comments can also be mailed to DHHS Behavioral Health, Attn: MHSA Comments, 720 Wood St., Eureka, CA 95501. 

Behavioral Health Workforce Program

The Superior Regional Partnership, through the California Department of Healthcare Access and Information's (HCAI) Behavioral Health Program, has developed programs to increase the recruitment and retention of the behavioral health workforce. Humboldt County, in collaboration with other counties in the Superior region, has partnered with the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) and HCAI to make these programs available in exchange for commitments to a service obligation in the Public Mental Health System (PMHS). The PMHS workforce consists of employees working for Humboldt County Behavioral Health or for a behavioral health organization that is contracted with Humboldt County Behavioral Health. These programs include loan repayment, graduate stipends and peer scholarships.

Local Implementation Agreements For 2023-2024

DHHS Behavioral Health sought community organizations to develop and support projects designed to reduce the impact of mental illness and focus on early intervention, prevention, outreach for increasing recognition of early signs of mental illness, access and linkages to treatment, stigma and discrimination reduction and/or suicide prevention. Congratulations to the following organizations/projects that received a Local Implementation Agreement:

• Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria: Mental Health Outreach and Awareness in Native Communities
• Humboldt Independent Practice Association: Mental Health Prevention through Student Empowerment Groups
• Queer Humboldt: Rural 2S/LGBTQIA+ Youth Prevention and Early Intervention Project
• Redwood Community Action Agency: SOARing to Stability (Parents and Children in Transition and Youth Services Bureau Programs)
• Redwoods Rural Health Center: Comprehensive Training Supporting Trauma Informed Approaches to Early Intervention and Prevention of Suicide and Other Mental Health Crises

A summary of each project will be provided in the upcoming 2024/25 Annual Update that is now in development. Since these projects are taking place during the 2023-2024 fiscal year, outcomes will be reported in the 2025/26 Annual Update. Email mhsacomments@co.humboldt.ca.us to learn more about Local Implementation Agreements.