_______________________________
Kathleen Ward
Mayor, City of San Clemente
City Hall ● 910 Calle Negocio, San Clemente CA 92673 ● (949) 361-8200 ● www.san-clemente.org Attachment 1
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August 15, 2023
The Honorable Susan Eggman The Honorable Jacqui Irwin California State Senate California State Assembly
1021 O Street, Suite 8530 1021 O Street, Suite 6220 Sacramento, CA 95814 Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: SUPPORT – SB 326 (Eggman) Behavioral Health Services Act and AB 531 (Irwin) Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023 Dear Senator Eggman and Assemblymember Irwin:
On behalf of the City of San Clemente, we are writing in strong support of SB 326 and AB 531, your historic legislative package working with Governor Newsom to transform the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) pass and accompanying $4.86 billion bond measure to build 10,000 new community behavioral health beds and housing to provide care to Californians of all ages with serious mental health and substance use disorders.
California is facing a confluence of crises - homelessness, serious mental illness, and substance use disorders - and this moment demands bold and comprehensive action. Among Californians experiencing homelessness, nearly 40,000 have a serious mental illness and over 36,000 have a chronic substance use disorder. A recent RAND study indicates the state has a shortage of at least 6,000 behavioral health beds. This lack of sufficient capacity leads not only to unnecessary long lengths of stays in locked settings and hospitals, but contributes to the growing crisis. The need for mental health and substance use services is even more acute among our state’s veterans. There are over 10,000 California veterans experiencing homelessness on any given night: upwards of 50% or more of homeless veterans suffer from mental health issues and around 70% are affected by substance use disorders. The proposed bond would dedicate a portion of the funding to provide the support our veterans deserve.
It is long overdue that we modernize our approach to serving our fellow Californians who are most in need of the mental health care they deserve - those with serious mental illnesses, experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and veterans who spend their nights on the streets.
This transformational package focuses on housing with accountability and reform with results to help ensure Californians can access critical behavioral health services and find the type of housing for their needs in the community - making good on a decades-old promise by state leaders.
These actions will complement and build upon California’s transformative behavioral health care expansion and accomplishments to date, including the CARE Act, the Children’s and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, the CalAIM expansion of behavioral health services in Medi-Cal, historic investments in behavioral health housing and infrastructure, veterans’ health and housing initiatives, and behavioral health workforce investments – to provide a continuum of community care for all.
The status quo is not acceptable. Our families and communities need big, bold action, and we need it now. For these reasons, we are in strong support of SB 326 and AB 531.
Sincerely,
_______________________
Chris Duncan
Mayor
City of San Clemente
CELEBRATING 90 YEARS OF INCORPORATION
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
AND CITY COUNCIL
Chris Duncan
Mayor
Steve Knoblock
Mayor Pro Tem
Victor Cabral
Mark Enmeier
Rick Loeffler
CITY MANAGER
Andy Hall
910 Calle Negocio
San Clemente, CA 92673
Phone: (949) 361-8200
“The Spanish Village
by the Sea”