San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas announces an upcoming proposed resolution to lead the implementation of the Senate Bill, SB 43.
The Supervisor is expected to introduce a resolution next week, Tuesday, December 5, outlining the multifaceted planning process that aims to carry out SB 43 by January 1st, 2025.
The approval of this resolution will display the groundwork for the eventual approach to implementing SB43, which would recognize the necessity of providing resources to individuals experiencing mental health crises.
Supervisor Vargas says the objective is to help establish an equitable community where people can seek specialized care.
“As we overhaul our mental health system, it is critical to not simply expand temporary services, but to break the cycle to truly provide people with the care they need,” said Supervisor Nora Vargas. “We need to work together to create the infrastructure that gets people off the streets and into specialized care. It will be community-based and it will be equitable because these are real people and real families seeking care. When we do something like this magnitude, we have to make sure we do it correctly and do it well.”
Last month, San Diego County initiated the CARE Act on October 1st as one of the seven counties across California. The act is expected to coordinate collective efforts to maximize the positive outcome of SB 43 by expanding access to pivotal mental health services.
Furthermore, Supervisor Vargas has been clear about her support for California Governor Gavin Newsom’s “Behavioral Health Services Bond Measure” (Prop 1), which won’t be on the voting ballot until next Spring, March 2024.
“As we work to implement services through the CARE Act, SB43, and the Governor’s Behavioral Health Services Bond Measure, if passed in March, coordination will be critical to our success,” Vargas said.
In a statement last month, Supervisor Vargas delivered the following statement expanding on her support for the Governor’s stance on mental health care.
“The monumental reform of the Mental Health Services Act represents a step forward in our commitment to providing comprehensive, compassionate, and effective mental health services for all Californians. As Chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors for San Diego County, I have seen firsthand the profound impact that untreated mental illness can have on individuals, families, and communities. We stand united in our commitment to ensuring that every Californian can access the mental health care they need and that they are treated with dignity and respect.”
In a statement, Supervisor Vargas emphasized that San Diego County has been a leader in progress to reshape how the county provides the community with an improved behavioral health system.
“The County of San Diego has made significant progress to reimagine its behavioral health system, and in our commitment to the successful implementation of SB 43, the County will engage the broader community by establishing a multisectoral implementation planning process that will include working closely with and convening key parties and agencies impacted by and/or involved with the implementation of SB 43,” Vargas said. “This will ensure that the County of San Diego and the greater provider community can adequately build the infrastructure needed for intervention and support in behavioral health services, housing, staffing, and judicial spaces.”
Many homeless persons do not want mental health interventions and medications. Are you going to force them to comply?