California’s voters passed Proposition 63 (Mental Health Services Act / MHSA) in the November 2004 General Election. Proposition 63 promised to greatly improve the delivery of mental health services and treatment across the State of California.
The MHSA represents a comprehensive approach to the development of community based mental health services and supports for the residents of California.
The Mental Health Services Act addresses a broad continuum of prevention, early intervention and service needs and the necessary infrastructure, technology and training elements that will effectively support this system. To provide an orderly implementation of MHSA, the California Department of Mental Health planned for sequential phases of development for each of the components.
The MHSA requires that each county mental health program shall prepare and submit a three-year plan which shall be updated at least annually and approved by the California Department of Mental Health after review and comment by the Oversight and Accountability Commission. The Mental Health Services Act further requires that the department shall establish requirements for the content of the plans.
