CALIFORNIA BUDGET ACTION ALERT FOR MENTAL HEALTH

The State Legislature is considering whether to put the Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63) before voters to divert funding away from effective community mental health services in order to help address the state's budget deficit in 2010 - 11. As you recall from last year, 65 percent of California voters already rejected Proposition 1E, which would have redirected $226 million away from the Mental Health Services Act. This year, the Governor proposes to redirect twice that amount ($452 million) for two years, and to put another initiative in front of voters in the June statewide election. Additionally, if California doesn't receive nearly $7 billion in new federal funds, the Governor proposes to divert another $847 million away from the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).

 

This decision will be made by the Legislature during the next few weeks. We urge mental health consumers, families, service providers, poverty and civil rights advocates, law enforcement, educators, business leaders, and private citizens to tell the Legislature you oppose this proposal. If this proposal is adopted, the progress MHSA is making at reducing costly hospitalizations, incarcerations, homelessness, school failures, and out-of-home placements will end.

 

ACTION - HOW YOU CAN HELP:

 

Write a letter to the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees, as well as to the Assembly Members and Senators who represent your community. Locate your elected officials at www.leginfo.ca.gov.

Visit the Assembly Members and Senators who represent you and your community to make your points in person.

Forward this e-mail to your colleagues, and encourage them to take action.

 

Click here to access the Sample Letter regarding Mental Health Budget.