SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s State Assembly has released a 2026-27 budget proposal that would allocate $125 million from the state’s 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund to support mobile crisis teams dispatched through 988 call centers, a move advocates say would help preserve critical behavioral health services statewide.
The proposal, released June 1, comes as state lawmakers continue debating how to fund California’s behavioral health crisis response system ahead of the expiration of certain federal funding sources in 2027.
According to the Steinberg Institute, a mental health policy organization and co-sponsor of AB 988, both the California Senate and Assembly budget proposals prioritize funding for mobile crisis services, which provide in-person responses to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.
According to the organization, both legislative proposals use the 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund to sustain mobile crisis services.
The institute noted that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May Revision budget instead proposes making the mobile crisis benefit optional after federal funding expires in 2027, potentially shifting as much as $200 million in costs to counties seeking to maintain their programs.
The Steinberg Institute stated that the Senate and Assembly proposals would help prevent the elimination of mobile crisis services by dedicating funding specifically to those programs.
According to the institute, this approach aligns with the goals of AB 988, legislation that established California’s 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund and sought to create a behavioral health crisis continuum consisting of “someone to call, someone to come, and somewhere to go.”
“We thank both the Senate and Assembly for recognizing the importance of maintaining California’s mobile crisis response teams,” said Tara Gamboa-Eastman, director of government affairs for the Steinberg Institute. Gamboa-Eastman urged lawmakers and the governor to adopt the Assembly’s framework as budget negotiations continue.
The statement also highlighted ongoing funding challenges facing California’s broader crisis response network. While approximately 83 percent of phone calls to California’s 988 centers are answered in-state, the institute reported that response rates for text and chat services remain below 40 percent.
According to the institute, crisis call centers remain the primary entry point into California’s behavioral health crisis system and require additional resources to answer requests for help, connect individuals with services, and coordinate emergency behavioral health responses.
The organization argued that without adequate staffing and funding, individuals experiencing a crisis may struggle to access the community-based care and crisis services available through the state’s response system.
The Assembly and Senate must approve a final state budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year by June 15.
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Categories: Breaking News Everyday Injustice Tags: 988 crisis response AB 988 behavioral health funding California Budget Mental Health Services mobile crisis teams