Features

When the governor released his budget in July, he terminated funds for mental health programs, best known as State Assembly bill AB2034, saying that this funding source, available since 2000, would be replaced by the 2004 voter-approved Proposition 63. 

But state and local officials say Prop. 63 funds should be in addition to, not instead of, AB2034 money, and they are gearing up to fight for the AB2034 funds—flexible funds to pay for housing and services for some of the most difficult-to-serve mentally ill/hard-to-house persons in the state. 

In an interview Wednesday H.D. Palmer, spokesperson for the state Department of Finance, said AB2034 funds would be more than replaced by voter-approved Prop. 63, the Mental Health Services Act, a surtax of 1 percent on persons earning more than $1 million.  

But Hans Hemann, spokesperson for Assemblymember Loni Hancock, argued in an interview Thursday that “the Democrats and Loni [Hancock] are concerned about using Prop. 63 to offset the mental health program.” Prop. 63 says the funds are not to supplant existing mental health funding, he said, pointing out that mental health services are underfunded. 

Moreover, given that Prop. 63 funds are slow to be released, “there’s a fear that the funding will come to a screeching halt,” he said. “It’s shortsighted and against the will of the voters.” 

A report recently released by Berkeley’s mental health division lauds the local achievements of AB2034, noting that at least 68 adults with serious mental illness are no longer homeless as a result of the funding.  

• Eighty-one participants were homeless or living in emergency shelters when enrolled in AB 2034 services; 13 among them were homeless by May 2006. 

• Two-thirds of the participants are now in permanent housing, including nearly half in permanently affordable housing with support services. 

• Nearly half have stayed in the same place for a year or more. 

• A total of 51 participants had a psychiatric hospitalization in the year prior to their enrollment in AB 2034, while just 16 have been hospitalized since enrollment.  

• The number of participants who spent some time in jail decreased from 37 in the year prior to enrollment to 11 annually after enrollment, a two-thirds reduction.  

• Total participant income increased by more than $500,000 annually through qualifications for SSI and SSDI. After enrolling in AB 2034, 52 participants gained approval for SSI or SSDI.