EL CENTRO — The Imperial County Board of Supervisors approved the submission of the Imperial County Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Integrated Plan on Tuesday, June 16, to the California Department of Health Care Services to be eligible for dedicated state funding to address behavioral health service needs.
The Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), which expands on the Mental Health Services Act endorsed by California voters in 2004, has dedicated funding for behavioral health services. It includes individuals requiring substance use disorder treatment, and along with all other county behavioral health departments, Imperial County is required to submit a three-year integrated plan for services and outcomes from the projects planned with the funds.
Behavioral Health Services Director Leticia Plancarte-Garcia said the idea behind the BHSA is to reform and modernize the behavioral health service efforts. BHSA funding has requirements for how funds should be spent, including 30% toward housing, 35% toward food service partnerships, and 35% toward behavioral health services support.
BHS’s plan was developed after receiving input from consumers, family members, community-based organizations, providers, stakeholders, advisory boards, and partner agencies, which was used to identify priority needs. Stakeholder input and feedback highlighted the continuous workforce shortage, barriers to access to care, housing instability, a fragmented system for mental health and substance use, and prevention and early intervention.
Over the past year, the department has also identified service gaps and opportunities to improve across the board. These identifications led to an integrated plan that consolidates all streams of funding for behavioral health services to a unified planning framework for efficient use of funds and a comprehensive system of care.
“Behavioral Health is one of the most complex departments with different funding options,” Leticia-Garcia said.
The plan addresses several key areas identified by BHS, including access expansion and service enhancement for priority populations. The state also established specific goals to focus on, including goals of reducing suicides, overdoses, and homelessness, while increasing things like quality of care and access to care.
The integrated plan proposes a “whatever it takes” approach, which includes outpatient evaluation, ongoing engagement, and service planning and coordination with supportive services. The state has also highlighted requirements of evidence-based models like High Fidelity Wraparound for children, Assertive Community Treatment, Individual Placement and Support, and several other high-intensity models.
“These are usually considered individuals that cost counties the most because they keep coming or they don’t get better; they don’t stay engaged. The state has given us specific evidence-based models that we have to implement for those populations,” she said.