City of Berkeley, CA

02/06/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/05/2026 16:52

Help Shape Behavioral Health Services in Berkeley

Share what behavioral health services our community needs most. Join a February meeting or complete the survey by March 4 to inform a three-year plan.

Published:
February 5, 2026
Last Updated:
February 5, 2026

Tell the City which mental health and substance use disorder services are most important for our community via virtual or in-person community meetings or an online survey.

Your feedback will help shape a three-year plan for behavioral health services. Funding from the State of California supports programs such as:

  • comprehensive care for people with severe mental illness
  • early intervention for youth and individuals in need
  • outreach to people experiencing homelessness, and more.

This plan will be the first under the Behavioral Health Services Act, an update and expansion of the previous State funding source. Compared to the past, this plan will include behavioral health related housing services, community supports, and full-service treatment partnership programs.

Community input will continue to play an important role in shaping local priorities, such as decisions about service models, populations served, and program design.

Let us know what you think are the greatest behavioral health needs in Berkeley. Attend one of several meetings options throughout February or fill out the survey by March 4, 2026.

Join community input meeting

Attend one of several meetings covering same information. Choose the time and location that works best for your schedule:

Virtual meetings

In-person meetings

At the meeting, staff will share a brief presentation about the Behavioral Health Services Act. You will learn about the types of services the City of Berkeley Mental Health Division currently provides.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion. You'll be invited to share your input during the meeting by filling out a short survey online or on paper.

Complete survey by March 4

You can still share input even if you're not able to attend any of the community input meetings. Fill out the Behavioral Services Act Survey by Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

The survey will ask which behavioral services are most important to you. You can rank the areas of greatest need and suggest ideas.

Share the survey with others in your network. Hearing from many people helps us meet the needs of our entire community.

Feedback informs three-year plan

Your input will help shape a three-year plan for behavioral health services.

The City receives $8-10 million dollars a year from the State of California. Funding comes from the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), a statewide tax of 1% on every dollar of personal income over $1 million.

The State distributes funds to transform and expand local behavioral health services. Input from the public helps staff align this work with community values.

This is the first plan Berkeley is creating under the new Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), which replaces the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). The BHSA updates and expands the MHSA with changes including:

  • Prioritizing services for individuals with the most significant mental health needs
  • Adding services for individuals experiencing substance use disorders
  • Expanding housing interventions
  • Enhancing oversight, transparency, and accountability at the state and local levels
  • Increasing equitable access to care

Mental Health services in Berkeley

The Mental Health Division provides intensive services to adults, youth, and children who have a high level of mental health needs and are eligible for Medi-Cal. In Fiscal Year 2024, over 5,000 people received services and support through programs funded by the Mental Health Services Act.

Programs the Mental Health Services Act helped fund include:

  • Mental health treatment and case management
  • Support for family members of people with severe mental illness
  • Mobile wellness center for individuals experiencing homelessness
  • Prevention and early intervention for children and youth

These services help clients manage their mental health, access housing and other community resources, and move forward in their recovery.

Help inform behavioral health services in Berkeley. Attend community meetings or fill out our survey to share feedback share what matters most to you.

Links

Keep up with City of Berkeley news via our news page, email, Bluesky, or Instagram.

City of Berkeley, CA published this content on February 06, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 05, 2026 at 22:52 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]