Green Light for Mental Health Plan

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved an ambitious plan that will use an expected $280 million from a statewide tax on wealthy Californians to reshape mental health services over the next three years.

The Community Services and Support plan now goes to the state Department of Mental Health Services for review.

If approved, the county could begin receiving funds by January.

The plan provides a broad blueprint for providing housing and substance abuse treatment for more than 45,000 children and adults with severe mental health problems, with other services for an additional 100,000 family members and individuals with less severe conditions.

One of its centerpieces is forming partnerships with neighborhood agencies that provide recovery, counseling, employment and housing services under one roof.

The county supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the plan.

In coming months, county officials said, they expect to fill in details of how the plan will be implemented, including identifying service providers, which also must be approved by the supervisors.

Proposition 63 -- the Mental Health Services Act -- was passed by voters in November and imposes a 1% surcharge on taxable income in excess of $1 million.

The new tax will raise an estimated $600 million each year for mental health services statewide.