Our Vision Statement: Disability Rights California will create individual and family supports, chosen and directed by the person with a disability

Mental Health Association in California

January 11, 2010

Taking Prop 63 Funds Makes No Sense

Just as he did a year ago the governor has proposed diverting voter approved Prop 63 community mental health funds to balance the budget. This makes no sense not only because the voters overwhelmingly rejected this last year but also because the Legislative Analyst and Department of Finance acknowledged to the voters when Prop 63 was passed that "the expansion of county mental health services would probably result in savings on state prison and county jail operations, medical care, homeless shelters, and social services programs (that) … could amount to as much as hundreds of millions of dollars annually." So not only is this a proposal that flies in the face of the voters expressions, both in passing the measure in 2004 and rejecting similar cuts in 2009, but it also won't save money and would wind up costing the state more in health social services and prison costs and make future budget problems even worse.

Rusty Selix
Co-Author with Senator Daniel Steinberg of Proposition 63
Executive Director
California Council of Community Mental Health Agencies and Mental Health Association of California