Former California Health and Human Services Secretary has been recognized for transformational leadership in behavioral health reform
Sacramento, CA —The Steinberg Institute today honored Mark Ghaly, former Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, with the inaugural Vision 2030 Leadership in Action Award during the Vision 2030 Solution Symposium in Sacramento.
The Leadership in Action Award is a new honor created by the Steinberg Institute to recognize leaders who exemplify the goals of Vision 2030—the Institute’s ambitious initiative to cut homelessness, incarceration, and hospitalization for people with serious mental illness and substance use disorders by 50 percent across California. Dr. Ghaly is the first recipient of the award.
“Dr. Ghaly represents what it means to turn leadership into action. Throughout his career, he has advanced reforms that moved California toward a more coordinated, accountable, and humane behavioral health system. We are proud to recognize him as the first recipient of this award.”
Karen Larsen, CEO of Steinberg Institute
Dr. Ghaly served as California’s Health and Human Services Secretary from 2019 through 2024, overseeing one of the largest health and human services systems in the nation. During his tenure, CalHHS advanced major initiatives to improve affordability and access to care, strengthen the connection between housing and health, and reshape California’s behavioral health systems.
Key behavioral health accomplishments during Dr. Ghaly’s leadership include:
- Launching and implementing the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), which transforms how California supports behavioral health for children, youth, and families
- Championing the development and passage of Proposition 1, a landmark reform that strengthens California’s behavioral health infrastructure, accountability, and statewide continuum of care
“Dr. Ghaly has been a steady, collaborative partner for years—always focused on improving outcomes for Californians who are too often failed by our systems,” said Darrell Steinberg, founder of the Steinberg Institute. “ His leadership embodies the spirit of Vision 2030.”
Vision 2030, launched by the Steinberg Institute in 2023, is an ambitious initiative to address the mental health and substance use humanitarian crisis gripping California through research, implementation, and accountability-focused advocacy. The initiative centers on challenging assumptions, ensuring transparency, and scaling what works to build care systems that rise to the moment and deliver real results for Californians.
“I’m honored to receive this recognition and to continue supporting efforts that push our systems to deliver better outcomes. Californians deserve care systems that meet them where they are and provide compassionate pathways to recovery.”
Dr. Mark Ghaly
Dr. Ghaly was honored during the Vision 2030 Solution Symposium, a convening of policymakers, county and state leaders, providers, advocates, researchers, and system innovators focused on transforming California’s behavioral health systems of care.
More information about the Vision 2030 Solution Symposium is available at: https://steinberginstitute.org/vision-2030-solution-symposium/