Updates
CBHDA recently issued a statement in response to the Legislature’s budget plan preserving vital behavioral health investments. Please stay tuned for any additional updates as they become available:
June 12, 2026 - Legislature’s Budget Plan Preserves Successful Behavioral Health Crisis Investments
Sacramento, CA – The County Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA) released the following statement from CBHDA Executive Director Michelle Doty Cabrera in response to the California Legislature’s proposed 2026-27 budget plan.
“The County Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA) appreciates the Legislature’s inclusion of continued state funding to maintain the statewide mobile crisis benefit and 988 in their budget plan. Preserving these critical benefits and services would help ensure that Californians have access to timely, community-based response and emotional support when experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. We thank the Legislative Leadership and Budget Committee chairs and members for recognizing the importance of maintaining these services and protecting access to lifesaving crisis response statewide.
"We encourage the Governor and Legislature to continue their work to preserve these programs that meet the urgent needs of individuals and families in crisis, relieve pressure on law enforcement and emergency rooms, and serve as critical tools for counties in outreach to unhoused individuals experiencing behavioral health crisis.
“CBHDA strongly supports full funding for 988 Call Centers, which serve as a vital entry point for many individuals seeking behavioral health support. We appreciate the Legislature’s recognition of the growing demand and the importance of augmenting the funding allocation to meet those needs. We encourage the Legislature and the Governor to continue to work collaboratively with CBHDA and call centers, including California’s two county-run call centers, to ensure sustainable and adequate funding that reflects growing demand across the state.”
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The County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California (CBHDA) is a nonprofit advocacy association representing the behavioral health directors from each of California’s 58 counties, as well as two cities (Berkeley and Tri-City).
Protect Mobile Crisis
The Governor’s January budget includes a significant proposed change to the statewide Medi-Cal mobile crisis benefit, shifting it from a standard, statewide benefit to an optional county benefit. This change would force many counties to either shoulder the full cost of providing mobile crisis services under Medi-Cal or scale back services. In the worst-case scenarios, for counties facing significant financial shortfalls, this proposal could lead to the complete elimination of the mobile crisis benefit. Community based mobile crisis services are a critical lifeline, providing rapid, on-the-ground support to individuals experiencing mental health or substance use crises. By intervening early, and in the community, these services save lives, reduce emergency room visits, and prevent unnecessary involvement with law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
What is Mobile Crisis?
The statewide Medi-Cal Mobile Crisis benefit is a community-based crisis intervention service to provide de-escalation and relief to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis wherever they are, including at home, work, school, or on the street.
Mobile Crisis is at Risk of Being Eliminated
This year, the Governor’s January Budget proposed to eliminate the statewide Medi-Cal mobile crisis benefit which saves lives and connects individuals to critical supportive services.
Why is This Important?
Converting mobile crisis to an optional, rather than statewide benefit would shift significant costs to counties, placing counties at risk of having to scale back or completely discontinue the benefit altogether. With additional cuts to counties coming via Proposition 1/Behavioral Health Services Act as well as HR1, counties will be facing a number of fiscal challenges in the next several years that will limit their ability to absorb the proposed cost shift.
Mobile Crisis Budget Advocacy Letter
Make your voices heard! CBHDA and the California Alliance of Child & Family Services invite you to join our budget advocacy to make sure that lawmakers understand the need to preserve the state’s investment in community based mobile crisis.
Sign On to Our Letter
Please fill out the form below to add your organization to our budget advocacy efforts.
Check Out Our Social Media Toolkit
This toolkit is a resource for our members and the public to communicate the importance of maintaining the statewide mobile crisis benefit. Through clear messaging and shareable content, we aim to ensure that decision-makers hear from counties and consumers about the life-saving impact of mobile crisis services and the urgent need to preserve equitable access for all counties.
Check Out Our Mobile Crisis Fact Sheet
This mobile crisis fact sheet provides an overview of what the mobile crisis benefit is, how it is funded, and the critical role it plays in supporting individuals experiencing behavioral health emergencies. It highlights the key benefits of mobile crisis services, including rapid response, reduced reliance on law enforcement, and decreased emergency room visits as well as improved access to care. The fact sheet also explains why sustaining this benefit is essential for the well-being of our communities and outlines our ongoing efforts to preserve and strengthen access to this critical benefit.