Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63)

Workforce Development, Education and Training

The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA or the ACT) requires that the Department shall establish guidelines for the content of the Workforce Education and Training Plan (County Plan) that each county mental health program (hereinafter to include Tri-Cities and the City of Berkeley) shall submit as part of its three-year program and expenditure plan.

Workforce Education and Training is the third component to be enacted, and contains those elements of the Act that define the guidelines for addressing workforce development and education and training needs.

The Act mandates that the Department implement a five-year education and training development plan (Five-Year Plan). The Department, in partnership with its stakeholders, has created a five-year strategic planning process as a means to implement this component of the Act. Each County Plan will become a part of the Five-Year Plan. The mission, values, vision, goals, and objectives of this Five-Year Plan are consistent with the fundamental concepts inherent in the Act. The following fundamental concepts are essential elements for all three-year program and expenditure plans, and include:

1. Wellness focus, which includes the concepts of recovery and resilience
2. Cultural competence
3. Client/family mental health system for older adults, adults, transition age youth and family driven system of care for children and youth
4. Integrated service experience for clients and their family members throughout their interactions with the mental health system
5. Community collaboration

Thus the Five-Year Plan will consist of a partnership of state and county funded and administered Actions that fully address the intent of the Act. The Five-Year Plan, as well as all state administered programs will be posted at: http://www.dmh.ca.gov/mhsa/EducTrain.asp .

In order to develop an effective County Plan, stakeholder representatives should be invited and encouraged to participate in the planning process. These include:

1. Program, administrative, training, and line staff from the county and community based organizations providing public mental health services
2. Consumers and family members
3. Representatives who can speak to workforce diversity needs and solutions
4. Educational entities, to include high schools, adult education, regional occupational programs, community colleges, universities, private schools, trainers, consultants, and professional organizations
5. Community partners who assist in the delivery of public mental health services, such as social services, behavioral health, and vocational rehabilitation services

The review and approval process for these plans is expected to take approximately thirty to sixty days. Staff from the Workforce Education and Training Unit will work closely with county staff to assist with plan submission, identify any needed additional information, and obtain plan approval.

Please email your comment to prop63@sfdph.org or send to:

Community Behavioral Health Services
Mental Health Services Act
1380 Howard Street 4th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103