Fresno County behavioral health services prepare for impacts of Prop 1

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- California voters voted in favor of Proposition 1 by a slim majority.

The measure will impose strict requirements on counties to spend on housing and drug treatment programs to tackle the state's homelessness crisis.

Fresno County leadership and leaders of behavioral health services say it's too soon to really tell what the impacts will be. However, county leaders do say there will be millions of dollars in reduction of funding to the county behavioral health services department in two years and they're trying to plan so no services are lost.

The measure will shift some control from counties to the state to determine how to spend money from an existing tax on millionaires approved by voters 20 years ago. That money will go towards mental health services.

On Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom spoke on the measure for the first time since its passing before touring a behavioral health treatment campus in Los Angeles County and commenting on how close the vote was.

"I also recognize the Affordable Care Act passed by one vote. A few of us discussed that and how transformative that's been in the lives of hundreds of millions and my intention is to make this effort equivalent in terms of that kind of transformation," said Newsom.

The measure requires counties to spend about two-thirds of the money on housing and programs for homeless people with serious mental illnesses or substance abuse problems.

It also allows the state to borrow $6.38 billion to build more than 4,000 housing units, half of which will be reserved for veterans.

It also adds nearly 7,000 mental health and addiction treatment beds.

Because of the new dollars now going to Sacramento, Fresno County Board Supervisor Nathan Magsig said the measure will reduce funding to Fresno County.

The Department of Behavioral Health is anticipating a 7 million dollar cut starting in 2026 and that will specifically impact prevention programs.

"Unfortunately, with reduction in dollars to the extent that we're able to provide care to individuals that are in crisis, that will be impacted," said Magsig.

Director of Behavioral Health Services Susan Holt said they are proactively planning for the loss of funding.

"It's unclear yet whether the state will include opportunities for local funding through any sort of competitive grant process, for example, but our local prevention programs and funding would most certainly change," said Holt.

At WestCare, which provides a range of services from mental health to housing, they said the need for more housing is critical.

"So to be able to house them and really provide those services and connecting them to the agencies that can provide that is really crucial to their success," said Jenny Gonzalez, WestCare California Vice President

As a Health and Human Services agency, WestCare receives funding from the local, state, and federal levels, so they're not sure how the changes will impact their organization.

For news updates, follow Kate Nemarich on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.