Gov. Gavin Newsom today announced $480.5 million in awards for 54 projects to improve California’s behavioral health infrastructure for children and youth.
As part of Newsom’s "Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health", this investment provides grant funding to construct new facilities and expand existing facilities that help children, youth, transition-age youth, and perinatal individuals with a mental health and/or substance use disorder.
These 54 projects will increase care, especially in the least restrictive, community-based settings, with community wellness/youth prevention centers, outpatient treatment for substance use disorders, school-linked health centers, and outpatient community mental health clinics.
In California, the rates of serious mental illness and substance use disorders are highest for individuals ages 18 to 25, according to Newsom's press office. Rates of children and youth experiencing behavioral health conditions, youth emergency department visits for mental health concerns, and youth suicides continue to rise.
The Department of Health Care Services is releasing $2.1 billion through six grant rounds targeting various gaps in the state’s behavioral health facility infrastructure.
For more information about these grants, as well as other rounds of funding, please visit the "Improving California’s Infrastructure" website.
