To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Grant Colfax, Health Services Director
Report Title: Integrated Plan for Behavioral Health Services and Outcomes for Fiscal Years 2026-2029
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ACCEPT the recommendation of the Behavioral Health Services Director to adopt the Integrated Plan for Behavioral Health Services and Outcomes for Fiscal Years 2026-29;
AUTHORIZE and DIRECT the Chair of the Board of Supervisors to sign the Integrated Plan certification that will be submitted to the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) with the County’s final Integrated Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of the Integrated Plan for submission to the State has no net fiscal impact and does not authorize the appropriation or expenditure of funds.
Counties will continue to receive Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) funding, formerly known as the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), at anticipated levels. While BHSA component allocations have been revised to meet statutory compliance requirements, specifically Housing Programs (30%), Full-Service Partnerships (35%), and Behavioral Health Services and Supports (35%), this Board action does not change funding authority.
The Integrated Plan reflects the coordinated use of all Behavioral Health funding sources, including BHSA, Medi-Cal revenues, Substance Use Disorder funding, 1991 and 2011 Realignment, federal and state grants, and other applicable revenues.
Actual appropriations, budget adjustments, and expenditure authority will be incorporated through the County’s annual budget adoption process and any subsequent Board-approved budget modifications.
BACKGROUND:
In 2024, Proposition 1 redesigned the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) into the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) and created funding for behavioral health treatment facilities. The new BHSA, which goes into effect July 1, 2026, is one of the cornerstones for Behavioral Health Transformation (BHT) in California. This transformation includes:
• New statewide goals,
• Establishment of priority populations to be served,
• Identification of required evidence-based practices,
• Resources for housing and employment, and
• Inclusion of services for both mental health and substance use conditions.
The BHSA is designed to modernize that state’s behavioral health system with a focus on equity, transparency, and accountability.
The priority populations under BHSA are individuals with the most serious behavioral health needs, including those who are unhoused, at risk of involvement with the criminal justice system, and children at risk of out-of-home placement.
Goals within the Plan are to Improve:
• Care Experience
• Access to Care
• Prevention and treatment of co-occurring physical health conditions
• Quality of Life
• Social Connection
• Engagement in School
• Engagement in Work
and to Reduce:
• Suicides
• Overdoses
• Untreated behavioral health conditions
• Institutionalization
• Homelessness
• Justice-Involvement
• Removal of Children from home
Under WIC § 5963.02(a)(1), counties are instructed that they shall prepare and submit an integrated plan and annual updates to the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission and the department.
Contra Costa’s Three-Year Integrated Plan for Behavioral Health Services and Outcomes was developed with feedback obtained from over 63 community engagement events, including town halls, community conversations, and key informant interviews, along with 660 survey responses. Contra Costa submitted a Draft Integrated Plan to DHCS and received approval and posted the Draft Plan for 30-day public comment. In preparation for our final Plan submission to DHCS, we have revised the Plan to list the public comments received and, where appropriate, incorporated revisions into the Plan. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the Behavioral Health Board held a public hearing on the Draft Plan and recommended that the Board of Supervisors approve the Plan.
WIC §5963.02 (a) (3), states that a county’s Board of Supervisors shall approve the Integrated Plan by June 30th prior to the fiscal year or years the integrated plan would cover, and as such we are requesting Board approval in advance of submitting the Final Integrated Plan to DHCS.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this action is not approved by June 30, 2026, the county will be out of compliance with the WIC §5963.02 requirement.
CHILDREN’S IMPACT STATEMENT:
This recommendation supports all of the following children's outcomes: - Children Ready for and Succeeding in School; - Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood; - Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing; and - Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families.