Question:
Please share examples of innovative uses of existing funding to address ACEs and trauma. For example, Mental Health Services Act has a funding category called "Innovative Projects" which might be a way to fund ACEs and trauma related efforts. Are you aware of any CA communities that have found ways to utilize MHSA or other funds in unexpected ways - that have the potential of addressing trauma and ACEs? See below and attached for more background re MHSA.
Background:
The CA legislature passed the Mental Health Services Act (http://mhsoac.ca.gov/act) also called Prop 63 funding - a 1% tax on the wealthy. This funding is specifically addresses the mental health needs and services for low-income people that are not covered by other payers (e.g. Medi-Cal, insurance etc).
From the attached MHSA reference (pg. 5, 6):
INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS
Part 3.2 (commencing with Section 5830) is added to Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
5830. County mental health programs shall develop plans for innovative programs to be funded pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 5892.
(a) The innovative programs shall have the following purposes:
(1) To increase access to underserved groups.
(2) To increase the quality of services, including better outcomes.
(3) To promote interagency collaboration.
(4) To increase access to services, including, but not limited to, services provided through permanent supportive housing.
(b) All projects included in the innovative program portion of the county plan shall meet the following requirements:
(1) Address one of the following purposes as its primary purpose:
(A) Increase access to underserved groups, which may include providing access through the provision of permanent supportive housing.
(B) Increase the quality of services, including measurable outcomes.
(C) Promote interagency and community collaboration.
(D) Increase access to services, which may include providing access through the provision of permanent supportive housing.
(2) Support innovative approaches by doing one of the following:
(A) Introducing new mental health practices or approaches, including, but not limited to, prevention and early intervention.
(B) Making a change to an existing mental health practice or approach, including, but not limited to, adaptation for a new setting or community.
(C) Introducing a new application to the mental health system of a promising community-driven practice or an approach that has been successful in nonmental health contexts or settings.
(D) Participating in a housing program designed to stabilize a person’s living situation while also providing supportive services on site.
(c) An innovative project may affect virtually any aspect of mental health practices or assess a new or changed application of a promising approach to solving persistent, seemingly intractable mental health challenges, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
(1) Administrative, governance, and organizational practices, processes, or procedures.
(2) Advocacy.
(3) Education and training for service providers, including nontraditional mental health practitioners.
(4) Outreach, capacity building, and community development.
(5) System development.
(6) Public education efforts.
(7) Research. If research is chosen for an innovative project, the county mental health program shall consider, but is not required to implement, research of the brain and its physical and biochemical processes that may have broad applications, but that have specific potential for understanding, treating, and managing mental illness, including, but not limited to, research through the Cal-BRAIN program pursuant to Section 92986 of the Education Code or other collaborative, public-private initiatives designed to map the dynamics of neuron activity.
(8) Services and interventions, including prevention, early intervention, and treatment.
(9) Permanent supportive housing development.
(d) If an innovative project has proven to be successful and a county chooses to continue it, the project work plan shall transition to another category of funding as appropriate.
(e) County mental health programs shall expend funds for their innovation programs upon approval by the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission
