CA Mental Health Services Act Housing Program
In the November 2004 election, California voters approved Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act ("MHSA" or the "Act"). MHSA was intended to transform the mental health system in California. The Act provides a dedicated source of funds to reduce the long term impacts of untreated serious mental illness and to expand successful, innovative, service programs for people with serious mental illness.
California Executive Order S-07-06 created the Mental Health Services Act Housing Program. The goal of the Mental Health Services Housing Program is to create 10,000 supportive homes. The MHSA Housing Program uses MHSA funds to finance permanent supportive housing developments for homeless people with serious mental illness.
CSH's Role
CSH played a leadership role in creating the Mental Health Services Act Housing Program, and continues to provide ongoing training, technical assistance, and collaborative forums on the Mental Health Services Act Housing Program.
Impact and Outcomes
5,000 new units of housing have been created under the Mental Health Services Act Housing Program. Almost 1,500 of those units are reserved for persons with severe and persistent mental illness.
28 of the 31 projects that were approved for more than $1 million in funding from the L.A. County Mental Health Services Act housing program include CSH's Opening New Doors graduates on their project teams.
