BHC – About BHC

The Behavioral Health Commission (BHC) was established as the local mental health board for Los Angeles County pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) section 5604 and Los Angeles County Code section 2.87.

PURPOSE. The purpose of the Commission is to advise the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, the director of Mental Health, and the director of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) on various aspects of local mental health programs, including the Mental Health Services Act. In March 2024, California voters passed Proposition 1 which introduced dynamic and foundational changes to the behavioral health system. Included in these changes was a requirement that counties transition their local mental health board to a behavioral health board.

MEMBERSHIP. The BHC consists of Nineteen Members. By law, one member of the Commission must be a member of the Board of Supervisors. Section 5604 W.I.C. sets very specific membership requirements.

  • Fifty percent (50%) of the Commission membership shall be consumers, or the parents, spouses, siblings, or adult children of consumers, who are receiving or have received behavioral health services. At least one (1) of these members shall be an individual who is 25 years of age or younger.
  • At least twenty percent (20%) of the total Commission membership shall be consumers, and at least twenty percent (20%) shall be families of consumers.
  • At least one (1) member of the Commission shall be a veteran or veteran advocate. A “veteran advocate” as defined in WIC section 5604 means either a parent, spouse, or adult child of a veteran, or an individual who is part of a veteran’s organization, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars or the American Legion.
  • At least one (1) member of the Commission shall be an employee of a local education agency.
  • At least one member (1) member of the Commission shall be a consumer or parent, spouse, sibling, or adult child of a consumer who has received mental health and/or substance use disorder treatment services.

The law also establishes special requirements on ethnic diversity and conflict of interest. Commission membership should reflect the ethnic diversity of the client population in the county and the demographics of the county as a whole, to the extent feasible.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST. Commission members shall keep their personal interests separate from their Commission duties and responsibilities and avoid conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest occurs if Commission members allow their personal relationships, money (or the promise of money), or other outside factors to influence how they perform their Commission duties and responsibilities. A conflict of interest also exists if Commission members use information acquired in their capacity as Commission members for personal gain.

To avoid potential conflicts, Commission members must not vote in matters in which they have a financial interest as defined in Government Code section 87103.

Commission members shall not accept gifts from lobbyists or anyone doing business with the County or who may come before the Commission.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Behavioral Health Commission, contact your representative on the Board of Supervisors.

BHC Support Staff Contact Information
Melissa Pantoja
Email: MAPantoja@dmh.lacounty.gov
Office line: 213- 948-2463
Daniel Estrada
Email: DJEstrada@dmh.lacounty.gov
Office line: 213-947-6487

Behavioral Health Commission email: mhcommission@dmh.lacounty.gov