A new state law allocating funds to expand mental health services calls for extensive community input in the form of community forums to deduce the needs of underserved and unserved populations. In their effort to comply with the law, San Diego County will be implementing a series of regional forums starting this month, including forums for the GLBT and HIV/AIDS communities.

The intent of the Mental Health Services Act, passed as Proposition 63 by voters in November, is to provide new funding for mental health services for children, transition-age youth, adults and seniors statewide. The additional funding comes from a tax increase for residents of the state whose personal income level exceeds $1 million.

“Proposition 63 was really a grassroots effort across the state of California from clients who have a mental illness to family members with sons and daughters and family who have psychiatric disorders,” said Dr. Piedad Garcia, county assistant deputy director for adult and older adult mental health services, who is in charge of the MHSA efforts in San Diego County. Advocacy agencies including the American Hospital Association, California Healthcare Association and the Mental Health Association in San Diego County were also behind the measure.

“The guidelines are really clear that we need to have a broad, broad community input process into how to use those monies,” Garcia said.

The measure could bring up to $40 million to San Diego for new mental health community services and support. “We know that the $40 million – up to $40 million – is not going to be the solution for all,” Garcia said. “It’s not enough. So how does the community inform our judgment as to how to best use this money and not use it for underwater basket weaving.”

In 2003-04, the county saw approximately 40,000 adult clients and 18,000 children and adolescents through outpatient services, recovery services, case management, inpatient 24-hour psychiatric services and self-help centers. The current operating budget for county mental health services includes $127 million allocated for adults and $80 million for children. The additional funding willincrease that budget by up to 15 percent.

“When we look at underserved and unserved populations, we can always do more,” Garcia said.

Community forums begin this week in San Diego’s East County, and will be conducted throughout the region through May. Stakeholder forums and client and family focus groups will begin soon to determine the county’s recommendations for increased mental health services, which will be submitted to the state for review this summer. “It needs to be very transparent, and it needs to be a partnership and a collaboration with the community,” Garcia said.

State data shows that underserved and unserved populations include the homeless and those that are at risk of being homeless, individuals who have been incarcerated, low-income families and Latinos who experience language and cultural barriers when accessing healthcare.

Garcia said focus groups targeting the GLBT community will be held, but sites for those have not been determined yet. The internal team plans to contact the Access Center as well as the Owens Clinic to pull together a group, “or go another approach – have it go through an established gay and lesbian organization,” Garcia said.

The county expects to implement new programs as early as this winter or the spring of 2006.

For more information on upcoming forums or to suggest a venue, call (888) 977-6763, email mhsprop63.hhfa@sdcounty.ca.gov or visit this article online at www.gaylesbiantimes.com for a link to their website.