San Francisco’s Crisis Clinic: An Innovative Model for Behavioral Health Crisis Response
A new San Francisco clinic is an early case study on how cities can strengthen behavioral health crisis response systems centered on compassion and respect.
California’s History with Criminal Justice & Behavioral Health Reform
Proposition 47 (2014) and Proposition 36 (2024) represent two key shifts in how California approaches incarceration and behavioral health treatment California’s Proposition 47, passed by voters in 2014, changed how California defines and prosecutes non-violent crimes, especially […]
Broken Systems Can’t Heal With a Broken Workforce
This blog is part of Perspectives, our blog series where Institute leaders, partners, and subject matter experts share their insights on the most pressing challenges — and opportunities — in behavioral health and substance use care. Let’s […]
Behavioral Health Bills Signed into Law by Governor Newsom in the 2025-2026 Legislative Year
In this past legislative year, Governor Newsom signed over 20 bills pertaining to behavioral health into law. Below outlines each bill—who wrote it, what it does, and the populations it impacts. We defined “behavioral health-related” as bills […]
MHSA to BHSA: Understanding California’s Behavioral Health Funding Evolution
The biggest changes 2024’s Behavioral Health Services Act made to its Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) predecessor The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), established in 2004 through Proposition 63, created a stable funding source for community-based mental […]
The Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA): Transforming a System in Crisis
The BHSA, passed through California’s Proposition 1 in 2024, takes a modern approach to an evolving mental health, substance use, and homelessness crisis Two decades after the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) first transformed California’s behavioral health […]
Essentials: Full Service Partnerships
Full Service partnership (FSP) programs have become a priority for California’s public behavioral health system. But what exactly are they, and why do they matter?
Talking with kids about wildfires and other natural disasters
By: Jillian Hughes The devastating fires in California have left many families grappling with loss and uncertainty. Children, in particular, may struggle to process this event, feeling overwhelmed by fear or anxiety. Parents, caregivers and educators can […]
More work to do to ensure fair mental health and SUD insurance coverage in Caliornia
By: Tara Gamboa-Eastman Steinberg Institute Director of Government Affairs In 2020, the Steinberg Institute partnered with The Kennedy Forum and Senator Scott Wiener (D – San Francisco) to pass landmark legislation, SB 855. The legislation helped California […]
Backpacks, pencils, calculators and…stress! Tips for navigating back-to-school anxiety
By: Saskia Perks It’s back-to-school season, when children often feel anxious about the upcoming year. Managing anxiety is not an overnight process. It takes both the caregiver and child working together to discover the best coping strategies. […]