County Behavioral Health Directors Association Of California

Member Services:CBHDA created various options for cross-county learning and sharing of best practices, including a clearinghouse of information with policies and protocols related to SB 43 implementation.In addition, CBHDA hosted regular count-to-county meetings to allow like-size counties to convene and share their experiences.CBHDA staff participated in site visits to county behavioral health agencies in Nevada and Placer Counties to learn more about how different counties structure their services, meet clients and former clients, providers, and understand their strengths and challenges.CBHDA also contributed to membership support by bringing regular guest speakers to the Governing Board meetings, and planning a state-level policy conference in 2025.

Advocacy:Legislative Advocacy: CBHDA co-sponsored one bill, AB 618 (Krell) with the Local Health Plans Association of California (LHPC), to improve data sharing between Medi-Cal managed care plans and county behavioral health agencies.In addition, CBHDA was a strong supporter of AB 1037 (Elhawary) to modernize statutes related to substance use disorder services.In addition, CBHDA analyzed over 100 pieces of legislation and weighed in on dozens of bills related to: mental health, substance use disorders, housing and homelessness, and criminal justice to shape policy proposals that might impact our members.CBHDA prioritized funding in the state budget process and hired two new fiscal staff to assist with legislative and budget policy advocacy. With these new hires, CBHDA was successful in securing $50 million for county behavioral health to support the implementation of Proposition 36. CBHDA staff and members also participated by providing testimony at numerous budget and legislative hearings.CBHDA hosted its fifth annual lobby day at the state Capitol, bringing county behavioral health members to Sacramento to lobby on CBHDA priorities.Administrative Advocacy: CBHDA prepared and submitted comments on more than 100 state policy proposals, on a range of topics from Proposition 1, to the BH-CONNECT Waiver, to CARE Court and the implementation of a variety of new laws. Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA): CBHDA worked diligently with our membership through our various committees and work groups to gather critical information on the impacts of the Behavioral Health Transformation (BHT) and inform draft secondary guidance to implement the BHSA. In addition to the Housing and Houselessness Work group established in January 2024, CBHDA also launched a new Behavioral Health Workforce Work group in October 2024, as well as numerous ad hoc work group series in the Spring of 2025 on the following topics: Full Service Partnerships, Exemption and Transfers, Prevention and Early Intervention, BHSA IT Solution for the County Portal, Financial Services, Behavioral Health Outcomes, Accountability and Transparency Report (BHOATR), and evidence-based practices (EBPs)/community-defined evidence practices (CDEPs). Over the course of the last year, CBHDA has submitted written feedback on the first three Modules of DHCS BHSA Policy Manual and another 22 different policy advocacy letters, which led to favorable changes in overall DHCS BHSA policies for county BH departments. The list below reflects some of the policies achieved through CBHDAs advocacy on behalf of county behavioral health agencies: Ensured that all counties will receive automatic exemptions from EBP fidelity requirements for the first three-year Integrated Plan. Instead, the state will offer counties state-funded technical assistance on the required EBPs through their contracted Centers of Excellence to scale up these EBPs. An increase in the maximum cost-per-unit threshold for BHSA housing units from $115,000 to $450,000, representing a fourfold increase that more accurately reflects the current cost of developing housing. DHCS will allow counties to use up to seven percent (7%) of their BHSA Housing Intervention funding for Outreach and Engagement activities. Without this change, counties would have had to use funding from the BHSA Behavioral Health Services and Supports bucket, which was already significantly reduced, for housing related outreach and engagement activities. Ensured that county behavioral health clients already receiving housing through the FSP component funding under MHSA can be automatically transitioned to the BHSA Housing Intervention funding. Broadened the state's definition of Early Intervention programming to allow counties greater flexibility in sustaining services currently funded under the MHSA Prevention and Early Intervention component. Ensured there will be no funding restrictions when moving unexpended MHSA over to the BHSA. Reduced administrative burden for counties by proposing an Integrated Plan Budget template which was adopted by DHCS. Created opportunities for counties to meet their BHSA EBP funding requirements for Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) for First Episode Psychosis by ensuring counties are allowed to apply a broad range of BHSA and non-BHSA funding sources (e.g. 2011 Realignment or Mental Health Block Grant funding, etc.), as long as the program is accounted for in their Integrated Plan. Other significant policy areas that CBHDA contributed to included: Children and Youth Behavioral Health - CDSS Foster Care Rates Reform Proposal Lanterman-Petris-Short Act - SB 43 Implementation - SB 1238 Implementation Department of State Hospitals Medi-Cal Policies, including the BH-CONNECT and CalAIM Initiatives 90-Day Justice In-Reach CARE Court Department of Public Health Behavioral Health Prevention Funds 988 and the Crisis Continuum DHCS Comprehensive Quality Strategy Behavioral Health Workforce Funding Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Network Adequacy

Communications:Sponsored and Participated in Mental Health Matters Day at the Capitol: In May 2025, CBHDA co-sponsored and participated in Mental Health Matters Day. This is an annual event where organizations in the area come together to bring awareness to services offered to the community and work together to end the stigma surrounding mental health & substance use disorders. The event was a great success and educated the public on the amazing work counties are doing in their communities as well as the work CBHDA does in representing counties.Public Information Officer (PIO) Work Group: CBHDA hosted monthly meetings of county PIOs to ensure coordinated information sharing and messaging.Social Media Engagement: CBHDA shared posts on various social media platforms to raise awareness about various CBHDA-related issues and priorities.Communications Materials: CBHDA developed informing materials on a variety of policy and advocacy issues to help educate the public, including a brief describing how counties are implementing Proposition 36.Closing SummaryThis has been another historic year for CBHDA on many levels, with tremendous opportunity and continued change ahead. CBHDA is proud to represent the county heroes who work on the front lines of the public behavioral health system, and to support their needs.