Mental Health Services Act programs in Stanislaus County would focus on children
Stanislaus County could spend Mental Health Services Act funding on new programs for children with severe emotional problems and support a small housing project for adults with mental disorders.
A full-service partnership would serve up to 24 children, age 6 to 17, with an aim to decrease psychiatric hospitalizations, incarceration and homelessness. The program would use outreach and engagement techniques, case management and mental health services to assist the young people, a report says.
The county could also evaluate whether a crisis intervention program would be effective with children. Crisis intervention has been successful in reducing adult admissions to psychiatric inpatient facilities and could be attempted with children through an innovation project.
Emotionally disturbed children who need hospitalization are sent far outside the county because there are no local facilities. The crisis intervention approach allows close to 24 hours to stabilize a person in a mental health crisis.
The Board of Supervisors will consider the update to the county’s Mental Health Services Act plan for the 2015-16 fiscal year when it meets Tuesday. If approved, the county would issue a request for proposals from qualified organizations that work with children.
California voters approved Proposition 63 in 2004 to expand mental health services and intervention programs at the county level. The funds allocated to counties come from a 1 percent tax collected from millionaires.
Local groups took part in roundtable discussions and came up with ideas for the new programs.
Besides the services for children, Stanislaus County could expand supportive housing and job opportunities for adults with mental disorders.
In a partnership with Stanislaus Affordable Housing Corp. and other groups, four one-bedroom apartments and a community resource center could be built at 522 E. Granger Ave. in Modesto.
The county could increase job opportunities through mentoring and training programs.
About $3.6 million would be spent on the community service and innovation programs over the next three years. The California Housing Finance Agency is holding $490,000 for the supportive housing project on Granger.
Ken Carlson: 209-578-2321
AT A GLANCE
The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the basement chamber of 10th Street Place, at 1010 10th St. in downtown Modesto. The following items will be considered:
▪ Proposed responses to the 2014-15 civil grand jury report
▪ A sublease agreement with Sky Trek Aviation for Hangar No. 5 at Modesto Airport.
▪ $577,000 construction contract to George Reed Inc. of Modesto for an intersection project at Central Avenue and East Taylor Road, south of Ceres.
This story was originally published August 30, 2015 at 4:43 PM with the headline "Mental Health Services Act programs in Stanislaus County would focus on children."