Behavioral health funding

Behavioral Health Advisory Board secretary asked the county to scale behavioral health services, noting behavioral health conditions are the leading cause of preventable death locally.

Behavioral Health Advisory Board secretary urged doubling treatment capacity and raising behavioral health general fund allocation to 2% in the 2032 strategic plan.

Supported the advisory board's letters, citing the county's high number of high-cost beneficiaries and jail overcrowding from lack of treatment capacity.

Spoke in support of raising the behavioral health general fund allocation to 2% over three years, about $6 million total.

Noted behavioral health was the third-highest priority in the community survey and asked for more general fund dollars — currently only about 1.2% versus a roughly 2% state average.