Los Angeles County Mental Health Commission Approves Proposition 63 Spending Plans, KPCC Reports
The Los Angeles County Mental Health Commission on Tuesday approved a spending plan for funds from Proposition 63, a November 2004 ballot measure that increased the state income tax by 1% for state residents whose annual incomes exceed $1 million to fund mental health services, KPCC's "KPCC News" reports.
The county Board of Supervisors is expected to consider the plan on Oct. 11.
Marvin Southard, director of county mental health, said he does not expect supervisors to make significant changes to the plan before forwarding it to the state for final approval.
The segment includes comments from:
- Mark Gale of the National Alliance on Mental Illness;
- Maria Elena Juarez, a member of the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California who spoke at the hearing;
- Rodney Nunn, a deaf resident who spoke through an interpreter at the hearing;
- John Ott, a consultant hired by the county to facilitate the public hearing process; and
- Southard (Rabe, "KPCC News," KPCC, 9/21).
KPCC's "AirTalk" on Tuesday interviewed Rod Shaner, medical director of the Los Angeles County Mental Health Department, and Mark Refowitz, deputy director for Behavioral Health Services at Orange County's Health Care Agency, about the county's spending plans (Mantle, "AirTalk," KPCC, 9/20).
Refowitz said that Orange County is "a little bit further behind" Los Angeles County, but it is ready to make a recommendation next week to its steering committee on how it would spend Proposition 63 funds. Orange County hopes to start implementing new programs by April. The county also is "looking at taking the services to the people, rather than making these clinic-based services," with an emphasis on homeless and linguistically diverse populations, Refowitz said ("AirTalk," KPCC, 9/20). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.
In addition, KPCC's "KPCC News" on Tuesday also included an interview with Shaner (Julian, "KPCC News," KPCC, 9/20). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.