read about our impact
The Steinberg Institute
We are an independent, nonprofit public policy institute dedicated to advancing sound public policy and inspiring leadership on issues of mental health and substance use. We believe that mental health is the under-attended issue of our time.
WHAT WE DO
We Engage
Advocacy groups, thought leaders and private industry, academia, consumers and family members, and the Legislature in upending the status quo and making mental health policy a top-tier priority.
We Inspire
Leadership, collaboration, and innovative thinking that leads to bold action toward an integrated system of care.
We Advance
Consumer-centered solutions through sound public policy and a culture of change that ensures all people receive the care they need, when they need it, for as long as they need it.
Issue Spotlight
Since taking office, Governor Gavin Newsom has made unprecedented efforts to transform California’s systems of mental health and substance use care for all Californians. Despite a projected $21 billion budget deficit, we are thrilled to see the Governor prioritize these issues in the 2023-24 fiscal year. This year, the Governor’s budget reflects a commitment to preserving and expanding upon critical funding to address mental health and substance use during a challenging economic climate.
Californians facing challenges accessing healthcare (including mental healthcare) will soon get relief after a state board approved one of the final steps in implementing Assembly Bill 890 (Wood).
On Monday, California’s Board of Registered Nursing approved rules that will allow nurse practitioners to treat patients without physician supervision. The 2020 law allows licensed nurse practitioners to work to the full scope of their license by expanding their ability to treat patients, including those affected by mental health challenges, without a physician’s supervision.
The Future of Mental Health
Our founder, Darrell Steinberg, gives a passionate speech in this TEDx talk about the injustice that those with mental illness frequently face when trying to receive treatment. Darrell has been fighting consistently to improve mental health policy in California since the late 1990s as a member of the state Assembly, as state Senate President pro Tem, and currently as mayor of Sacramento. Darrell was the co-author of the 2004 state initiative that imposed a 1 percent tax on incomes over $1 million, also called the California Mental Health Services Act, which has generated nearly $30 billion for mental health services since being enacted.
