Mental Health and Substance Use Support

Mental health and substance use conditions affect nearly all of us, at every age, and are intertwined with our physical and emotional health. With that in mind, our County continues to work hard to ensure our behavioral health system is based on compassion, prevention and continuous care. 

In June, our County approved a new three-year, $848 million Mental Health Services Act plan. It will increase spending on programs to help children, youth, families, adults and older adults with serious mental illness or crises.

The plan will continue mental health services, housing and “wraparound” care that helps children by treating them within their own homes, schools and families. It will also continue funding for mobile crisis response teams and walk-in Crisis Stabilization Units. Mobile Crisis Response Teams send mental health experts rather than law enforcement, when appropriate, to respond to people in crisis. Crisis Stabilization Units give people experiencing mental-health episodes a safe, calm place to get help rather than being taken to jails or emergency rooms.

To help prevent overdose deaths, particularly the scourge of fentanyl deaths, the County has expanded giving naloxone-treatment kits to sheriff’s deputies, first responders and people who may be at risk of overdose or know someone who is. And it has put up its first naloxone vending machines in facilities around the county, making it available to anyone who wants the overdose-reversing medicine for free.

This past year, the County and Tri-City Healthcare broke ground on a new psychiatric health facility in Oceanside. Construction is expected to be completed in 2024 and will feature services funded by the County and Tri-City.

And the County also signed on to take part in a $4.1 million state pilot program focused on suicide prevention in young people.