In a significant move to improve mental health services for young people, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on Tuesday to upgrade behavioral health infrastructure, services, and staffing for individuals up to age 25.
Key Components of the Proposal
Vice-Chair Terra Lawson-Remer outlined the framework policy, which aims to:
Initiate Community Dialogue: Engage with the community to discuss behavioral health challenges and identify unmet needs.
Leverage Data: Utilize data to evaluate current service levels and their effectiveness.
Identify Service Needs: Recognize existing gaps in youth care and determine specific service requirements.
Establish a Comprehensive Plan: Focus on strategically investing resources to support young people’s mental health.
Enhance Infrastructure and Workforce: Ensure the county possesses the necessary infrastructure and workforce to support children’s mental and emotional well-being.
Optimize Medi-Cal Payments: Explore ways to maximize Medi-Cal reimbursements for services.
Lawson-Remer emphasized that this initiative is “another vital step” toward delivering the best possible behavioral health services. “We are sharpening our focus on kids as a way to move further upstream in our service delivery,” she stated.
Growing Need for Services
According to Lawson-Remer’s office, there is an increasing demand for behavioral health services for young people. California ranks last among states and the District of Columbia in terms of parents reporting challenges in accessing mental health care for their children. Notably, 50% of adults with behavioral health disorders exhibit symptoms by age 14.
To support youth services, the county plans to utilize the Optimal Care Pathways data tool developed by the Behavioral Health Department.
Community Support
Before the board’s vote on September 24, various stakeholders, including residents, healthcare advocates, and nonprofit organizations, voiced their support for enhancing youth behavioral health services.
One resident, a father of an 11-year-old boy with autism, highlighted the limited living opportunities available for young people like his son after they age out of the school system, often resulting in emergency room visits or homelessness.
Robin Sales, chairwoman of the county Behavioral Advisory Board, spoke as a private citizen, advocating for the proposal. “In this county, we have children who are in desperate need of help on all levels,” Sales remarked.
Another community member expressed hope that the proposal would provide relief for families grappling with the challenges of caring for children with special needs.
Board Chairwoman Nora Vargas was absent during Tuesday’s meeting but is expected to lend her support to this crucial initiative.
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