Bo Tefu and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week that the state is investing nearly $133 million into behavioral health bridge housing to help homeless people recover and gain stability.
The state has provided $132.5 million to 10 county behavioral health agencies that are part of the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program under the Department of Health Care Services. With state funding, counties can offer temporary safe housing and support services for homeless people transitioning to permanent housing.
The bridge housing program helps local governments address the homelessness crisis and provide services for people dealing with mental health or substance use disorders.
Newsom urged Chairs of California’s Boards of Supervisors to establish conservatorship reform.
“Bridge behavioral health housing is a crucial component of our larger work to meet the needs of Californians experiencing homelessness who have serious mental health or substance use disorder treatment needs and require urgent housing to stabilize and recover,” Newsom said.
The state has partnered with nine counties to implement the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act as part of the CARE Court program. The program provides health service plans and resources for people dealing with untreated psychosis.
Newsom said the program is, “also just a piece of the puzzle for solving our homelessness and behavioral health crises – that’s why our counties must step up and implement conservatorship reform and the CARE Court program. My administration continues to provide local governments with the tools to tackle this crisis head-on – the time for action is now.”