Lack Of Data Stymies Full Evaluation of California’s $13 Billion Spending Through State Mental Health Services Act

Since 2004, California’s Mental Health Services Act has raised about $1 billion annually for specialty mental health, but due to outdated information technology the state is unable to document whether the Act has improved people’s lives or community safety. Since going into effect as an income tax on people with more than $1 million in annual income, the Act has generated $13 billion. The annual spending of $1 billion represents about 25% of California’s total mental health spending.

These findings were reported in “Promises Still to Keep: A Decade of the Mental Health Services Act” by the . . .