Supervisors Allocate Federal Funds To Fulfill New Conservatorship Law

SAN DIEGO, CA — The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved allocating a little over $35 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to fulfill a state conservatorship requirement, hiring more behavioral health workers and provide affordable housing.

The county will spend $15 million to implement requirements of Senate Bill 43, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in October and expands the definition of "gravely disabled" in terms of who can be involuntarily held in facilities and receive treatment.

Other amounts include $10 million to increase the number of behavioral health workers and $10.6 million for the county's Innovative Housing Trust Fund, which focuses on more affordable housing.

Supervisors also directed $10 million for natural disaster prevention and preparedness, if funding is available.

The funds allocated are from a bill signed into law by President Joe Biden in March 2021 that contains elements intended to stimulate faster growth over the long term.

In a statement, board Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer said her colleagues "made the right decisions today."

"Investing these dollars into the long-term success of SB 43 and the expansion of our behavioral health workforce was the right way to leverage these funds," she added. "We will now also be able to act with greater urgency to address rising housing costs."

Supervisor Jim Desmond said while he supported the overall funding proposal, the $10 million for natural disaster prevention would be better used to help address the regional homeless crisis.

"I don't mind helping out a friend or neighbor or somebody in need, but I don't want us to be an umbrella every time that we are bailing out communities that aren't properly using their own dollars to be prepared for those types of things," he said.

— City News Service