One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
California has millions to spend on preventing behavioral health conditions. The state is seeking public input
Gov. Gavin Newsom was joined by L.A. Mayor Karen Bass on Jan. 3, 2024, to rally support for Proposition 1.
(
Robert Garrova / LAist
)
Topline:
State health officials say an influx of nearly $100 million annually in Prop. 1 funding will go toward efforts to prevent mental health and substance use disorders. California is seeking public input for how to best spend that money.
The backstory: Californians passed Proposition 1 last year. The ballot measure cleared the way for nearly $6.4 billion in bonds for behavioral health and rearranged how counties can spend yearly tax revenue set aside for mental health. The California Department of Public Health announced this week that it would have annual funding of nearly $100 million to go toward things like overdose prevention education and campaigns aimed at suicide prevention.
Seeking input: The Department of Public Health said it's seeking insight from the public on how to spend those funds, about half of which have to go toward prevention efforts for people 25 years old or younger.
On Dec. 11, the department is hosting a virtual panel on prevention strategies. Members of the public are welcome to attend and time will be allotted for questions and feedback. You can register for the panel here.
What’s next: The annual Prop. 1 funding set aside for behavioral health prevention will be available July 2026.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
