Cover of MHSA Annual Update featuring text and image of Cayucos Pier.
Cover of MHSA Annual Update

Mental Health Services Act Annual Update (20-21) Approved

Author: Frank Warren
Date: 1/31/2022 8:46:23 AM

The Annual Update for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 of the Three-Year Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-23 for San Luis Obispo County's Mental Health Services Act activities was approved by the County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.

The Behavioral Health Department is required to provide the State with an Annual Update to its Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) work plan and budget projection. The Annual Update provides data and reports on the wide variety of MHSA programs and activities for the previous fiscal year (2020-2021), as well as proposed changes and fiscal projections through 2020-2023.

MHSA is dedicated to transforming the public mental health system and seeks to reduce the long-term adverse impact from untreated serious mental illness. Details of the positive impact MHSA funded programs have had on our community can be found, in further detail, within the pages of the Annual Update.

Examples of this year’s Annual Update highlights include:

Of the 187 "Full Service Partnership" clients served during FY 2020-2021:

  • Homelessness of clients was reduced by 45%
  • Emergency room visits were reduced 73%
  • Jail days of clients were reduced 81%
  • Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF) days increased 2%

Crisis calls to the Mental Health Evaluation Team increased by 14%, while the Crisis Stabilization Unit admitted 363 people, and increase of 5% from the year previous..

In the pandemic-impacted 2020-2021 school year, 379 youth participated in the Middle School Comprehensive Project, a student assistance program, and demonstrated positive outcomes including a 35% increase in self-esteem, 55% increase in coping skills, and a 50% decrease in suicidal ideation. 

For more information on MHSA programs and results, please see the Annual Update here!