Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Behavioral Health Bond?
The Behavioral Health Bond authorizes $6.4 billion in bonds to finance behavioral health treatment beds, supportive housing, community sites, and funding for housing veterans with behavioral health needs:
- $4.4 billion of these funds will be administered by DHCS for grants to public and private entities for behavioral health treatment and residential settings.
- $1.5 billion of the $4.4 billion will be awarded only to counties, cities, and tribal entities, with $30 million set aside for tribes.
- The remaining $1.972 billion will be administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to support permanent supportive housing for individuals at risk of or experiencing homelessness and behavioral health challenges. Of that amount, $1.065 billion will be for veterans. All these efforts will leverage effective existing programs, including the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), Project Homekey, and Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Program (VHHP).
- The Behavioral Health Bond is the one part of Proposition 1. The other part, the Behavioral Health Services Act, reforms behavioral health care funding to prioritize services for people with the most significant mental health needs while adding the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD), expanding housing interventions, and increasing the behavioral health workforce. It also enhances oversight, transparency, and accountability at the state and local levels.
How does Proposition 1 bond funding work?
The Behavioral Health Bond provides $6.4 billion in bond funding to eligible entities. DHCS will award $4.4 billion to expand behavioral health treatment facilities will be awarded by DHCS as competitive grants, with requirements similar to the current
BHCIP; $1.5 billion of the $4.4 billion will be awarded through competitive grants ONLY to counties, cities, and tribal entities, guaranteeing a minimum of $30 million for tribes.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development will oversee the remaining $1.972 billion for behavioral health housing:
- $1.065 billion in housing investments for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness who have behavioral health challenges.
- $922 million in housing investments for persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness who have behavioral health challenges.
What are the projected outcomes of the $6.38 billion in bond funding?
The bond is estimated to fund the following behavioral health beds and units:
- 4,350 permanent supportive housing units, with 2,350 of that set aside for veterans.
- 6,800 treatment beds and 26,700 outpatient treatment slots.
Cannot retrieve the URL specified in the Content Link property. For more assistance, contact your site administrator.
