County Mental Health Spending Plan Approved

Fresno County expects to begin receiving Proposition 63 funding within the next month, after the state gave final approval to the county's spending plan for new mental health services, the Fresno Bee reports. Voters approved the proposition in 2004 to tax residents with incomes higher than $1 million to fund mental health care.

Fresno's new programs include:

Case management services to reduce hospitalizations and arrests of residents with mental illnesses;
Developing a centralized location that provides family support and vocational services; and
Training mental health clinicians to help seniors manage mental health crises.

The county still is waiting for its children's mental health service plan to be approved. The state had requested additional details on some of the programs, according to Cathy Huerta, interim director of the county Department of Children and Family Services.

Giang Nguyen, director of the county Behavioral Health Department, said the county hopes the new programs will fill gaps in services created by cuts made earlier this year to rural clinics and other programs (Ginis, Fresno Bee, 8/3). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.