California may change its mental health funding. Why that might cut some services

BY KRISTEN HWANG

stunt in threatening to withhold money from counties and failing to significantly increase the state’s housing stock.

“The question in our minds is what is the approach and process to solving some of these problems. We would welcome greater partnership around that.”

CHRISTINE STONERMERTZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES

Time For Change Foundation Celebrates 21st Anniversary With “Unmasking The Future” Gala ...continued

For the second time in as many years, Gov. Gavin Newsom is pushing for major reform of California’s mental health system, this time by overhauling the way counties spend mental health dollars and placing a bond measure before voters to build more psychiatric beds.

County behavioral health advocates and local service providers fear programs will be cut, and, much like the controversial CARE Courts legislation — which passed last year and allows individuals to petition a court to force seriously mentally ill people into treatment and housing — say Newsom’s initial announcement came as a shock.

“We listened to the press conference just like you,” said Christine Stoner-Mertz, executive director of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, which represents organizations that provide child welfare, foster care, juvenile justice and youth behavioral health services.

The proposal is being pitched as a solution to the state’s ballooning homelessness crisis, but experts doubt it will make any kind of meaningful dent. No one has published bill language for the proposal, but Newsom unveiled two major changes during his March state-of-thestate tour:

Divert 30% of existing Mental Health Services Act money toward housing people living on the streets who are severely mentally ill;

Use a bond measure to generate between $3 billion and $5 billion for 6,000 residential psychiatric treatment beds.

Voters passed the Mental Health Services Act nearly two decades ago as a ballot initiative that levied a 1% tax on state millionaires to fund local mental health programs. Substantial changes to the act are subject to voter approval because it originally passed as a ballot measure in 2004.

The proposal aims to reprioritize a significant portion of the state’s existing behavioral health system to focus on what Newsom characterized as the state’s “most acute challenge,” which is the number of homeless people with mental illness and substance use disorders. Only about 20% of California’s approximately 172,000 homeless people have a severe mental illness, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, but the issue plays an outsized role in state politics.

“It’s unacceptable what we’re dealing with at scale now in the state of California,” Newsom said. “We have to address and come to grips with the reality of mental health in this state and our nation.”

Newsom, who made reducing homelessness a key part of his gubernatorial campaign in 2018, is contending with the reality of homelessness increasing by nearly 32% in the past four years. Though he has called out counties for not acting aggressively enough and dedicated nearly $10 billion to address the problem, he has also faced harsh bi-partisan criticism for what many view as a political

The California Black Media Political Playback: Officials Show Respect for Ridley-Thomas’s Service

Tanu Henry | California Black Media

Newsom’s proposal is backed by several lawmakers, including former Assemblymember and current Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who coauthored the original act, and Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman, a Democrat from Stockton who co-authored the CARE Court legislation and who has staked the remainder of her term on advancing mental health changes. Those who do the on-theground mental health work in the state, however, say they have major concerns about such a large system shake-up. The focus on housing and the need for more behavioral health treatment beds is welcome, Stoner-Mertz said, but shouldn’t detract from the current workforce crisis and other problems exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One-third is a big chunk of money,” Stoner-Mertz said. “The question in our minds is what is the approach and process to solving some of these problems. We would welcome greater partnership around that.”

What the mental health funding proposal would change

On Wednesday, state officials revealed new details about the proposal. It changes the categories counties would be required to invest in, focusing most of the money on homeless adults. Counties would be required to spend 30%, or roughly $1 billion annually, of their Mental Health Services Act dollars on housing homeless people with serious mental illness or drug addiction. They would also direct 35% of the funds to full-service partnerships for these individuals, which include clinical treatment and social supports co-designed by the client and the program.

The remaining 35% could be used for a combination of existing programs like mental health prevention and early intervention, infrastructure and workforce investments, although officials made it clear that workforce would be a priority. Innovation grants that have historically been part of the program do not have any dedicated funds. The proposal also opens the door to using the money for people who struggle with addiction but don’t have additional mental health needs.

In contrast, current regulations give counties broad flexibility in using the money. A minimum of 38% must be spent on fullservice partnerships, although counties can spend up to 70% on these services. (Full-service partnerships are intensive wraparound services designed to do “whatever it takes” to meet the client’s long-term needs. They can include things like 24/7 case management, clinical treatment, and housing.) About 19% is reserved for prevention and early intervention programs, much of which focuses on children, and 5% for innovation. Some counties choose to use a portion of the funds for workforce and infrastructure needs. There are some concerns about whether counties have historically met minimum spending requirements, particularly for full-service partnerships, but there’s no question that the money has become an integral part of the state’s behavioral health system, making up nearly one-third of all spending. Last year the tax generated about $3.8 billion. Newsom’s proposal introduces standardized accountability measures and reduces the amount of money counties are allowed to keep in reserves.

In addition, language will be placed on the 2024 ballot asking for a general obligation bond to pay for 6,000 psychiatric and substance abuse treatment beds. These beds would serve approximately 10,000 people annually, according to a fact sheet from Newsom’s office, by providing long-term residential treatment. An undetermined portion of the bond funds would be used to house homeless

Time For Change Foundation Celebrates 21st Anniversary With “Unmasking The Future” Gala

SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF – April 3, 2023 – Time for Change Foundation (TFCF) is excited to announce their annual gala will be returning to Southern California on April 14 after being held as a virtual event for three years. “Unmasking the Future” will celebrate TFCF’s 21st anniversary with a star studded masquerade ball. The event will take place at 6 PM at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Ontario Airport.

“We have so many amazing milestones to celebrate this year,” says Vanessa Perez, Executive Director of Time for Change Foundation. “We couldn’t be more excited to honor these incredible people while shining a light on the organization’s accomplishments this past year, most notably the highlyanticipated opening of our B-BOP Center.”

To support the work of Time for Change Foundation, you can become a sponsor, make a donation, or purchase an ad in the event program book. Registration is $150. To register for the event or to become a sponsor and increase your business’ visibility in the community, please visit our website TimeForChangeFoundation.org, or contact Vanessa Perez at (909) 886-2994 or by email at vperez@ timeforchangefoundation.org.

FTC Briefing Targets Scams Hitting API Communities in California...continued from page 3

According to Chiu, the hotline’s launch came in response to the “flood” of reports his office has fielded about scams targeting largely immigrant and minority populations.

“We want to make it easy for residents in San Francisco and across California to report to us,” explained Chiu, noting the sense of shame and powerlessness that can come in the wake of being scammed often prevents victims from coming forward. “You feel stupid… like it’s your fault. We need to overcome that.”

Tip of the iceberg Romance scams like the one Iwasaki fell prey to are just the tip of the iceberg. Speakers recounted dozens of scams they’ve encountered, from shady travel agencies with hidden fees to unscrupulous immigration services that can leave victims in jeopardy of being deported. Equity and home improvement scams are a particular issue in the API community and can leave especially older homeowners underwater or force the sale of their home. Scammers operate both domestically within the US and increasingly abroad. The rise of artificial intelligence also poses additional challenges on the near horizon, as scammers are turning to the emerging technology to perpetrate more sophisticated scams. Chiu called that potential “frightening.” don’t have time to reach out to friends or family” before it’s too late, said Coe, noting the victim in this case was only able to recover $700 of the total amount she lost.

Renee Coe is a third-year law student at UC Berkeley and is currently working with the nonprofit Bay Area legal Aid on a two-year research project looking into how scams are impacting immigrant communities. She shared the story of one Indian student studying in the US who lost $18,000 to a fraudster claiming to be with ICE.

This story “highlights some of the challenges with recovery from scams, and also some of the areas where our laws could be more protected,” Coe explained, noting victims have just 10 days to report unauthorized withdrawals from banks, during which time banks are required to investigate or be liable for losses. Investment scams, particularly those involving crypto currencies, have ballooned in recent years.

Maeve Elise Brown is the Executive Director of Housing and Economic Right Advocates (HERA) based on Oakland. She recalled a friend whose losses totaled in the six figures, and who lost even more after an agency approached him claiming to be able to retrieve his money. Brown believes both instances involved the same entity.

Vindicating the rights of victims

“Don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself,” said Brown, echoing Chiu and the other speakers about the importance of coming forward. “We’re both sad and happy to learn about new scams. Sad that people are being scammed, and happy for having learned about it.”

Iwasaki eventually did come forward, sharing his story with the organization Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, which has brought his case to litigation. Iwasaki says he’s now preparing to go to court and is hopeful that he will see some – if not all – of his money returned.

California Black Elected Officials

React to Ridley-Thomas Conviction

Last week after a jury found former Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas guilty on corruption charges, California’s Black elected officials issued statements acknowledging RidleyThomas’s political leadership, many contributions to his constituents and his track record of unapologetically advocating for policies that advanced racial equity and improved the lives of African Americans in the state.

“I am compelled to share my appreciation for the civic contributions of Mark Ridley-

Thomas. Mark Ridley-Thomas has devoted his professional life to serving the people of Los Angeles. He has invested his time and energy to empower and uplift his community and constituents for decades,” said Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Gardena), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus in a statement. “His relentless commitment to helping improve the lives of others through public service will always be worthy of our admiration and appreciation,” Bradford added.

I believe that this is a sad day

Each year TFCF hosts their annual gala to honor and recognize those who have defied all odds and reclaimed their rightful roles as mothers, leaders and active participants in their community. All proceeds from “Unmasking the Future” will support the foundation in their mission to empower disenfranchised, low-income individuals and help families find the path to self-sufficiency. “Unmasking the Future” will highlight the successes of the women that have emerged from homelessness, addiction, domestic violence, and incarceration and have become thriving mothers and community members.

This year’s honorees include Dr. Elizabeth Dowdy (founding Pastor of Lion of Judah Worship Center and owner/operator of Eliz' Elegant Apparel) with the Ramos Family Spirit of Compassion Award, Webb Family Enterprises with the Community Champion Award, Hilda Kennedy (President and Founder of AmPac Tri State CDC) with the Nancy Varner Angel Award, Latino Community Foundation with the Courageous Philanthropy Award and Kat Taylor (social, racial, gender and environmental advocate) with the Humanitarian Award.

Since 2002, TFCF has continued to live out its mission of empowering the disenfranchised and creating thriving communities. Most recently, TFCF opened the doors to their new Black and Brown Opportunities for Profit (B-BOP) Center, a first of its kind, high-tech economic hub in San Bernardino designed to support Black and Brown female entrepreneurs.

SF City Attorney David Chiu spoke with reporters about the work his office is doing to tackle the proliferation of scams impacting API and immigrant communities.

“One thing that scammers do is they emphasize the urgency of the situation so much that you

“Don’t feel this is your fault,” stressed Chiu. “Part of why we’re here today is to say, no it’s not your fault. You are a victim of a fraud. You need to have your rights vindicated. And if you need justice done, we are the agencies that are looking to do that justice.”

He added, “So we encourage you to reach out to us.”