The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) directed counties to establish programs that ensure services will be provided to severely mentally ill children, adults, and seniors. It is also part of the Act that these individuals will be part of the established children's or adult system of care. It is the intent of the Act that services provided are accountable, developed in partnership with youth, adults, seniors and their families, culturally competent and individualized to the strengths and needs of each individual and his or her family.

Services & Funding

Subject to the availability of funds, county mental health programs will offer services to severely mentally ill children, adults and seniors for whom services under any other public or private insurance or other mental health or entitlement program is inadequate or unavailable. Funding for the program shall be at sufficient levels to ensure that each individual served will receive all of the services set forth in his or her treatment plan.

Vision

Planning for services shall be consistent with the philosophy, principles and practices of Recovery Vision for mental health consumers:

• To promote concepts key to the recovery for individuals who have mental illness; hope personal empowerment, respect, social connections, self-responsibility, and self-determination.
• To promote consumer-operated services a s a way to support recovery
• To reflect the cultural, ethnic and racial diversity of the mental health consumers
• To plan for each consumer's individual need

Plans

The current MHSA Community Services and Support three year approved plan.