4440 Department of Mental Health
Program Descriptions

10 - COMMUNITY SERVICES

The Community Services Program coordinates delivery of mental health treatment and support services. Community Services sets overall policy for the delivery of mental health services statewide; develops and oversees performance contracts with county mental health departments; monitors compliance with state and federal statutes; and administers various state-funded programs and projects. Funding assists counties in providing a broad array of mental health treatment and rehabilitative services in a local setting that promotes recovery and integration into the community for clients with mental illness and children and youth with serious emotional disturbance. Producing measurable outcomes is essential to the success of the Community Services Program. This includes consumer satisfaction strategies and enhancing cost-effectiveness by improving clinical efficacy, implementing recovery principles, and valuing a coordinated services approach to serving children, youth, adults, and older adults.

Community Services also provides statewide leadership and oversight for implementation of the Mental Health Services Act, which funds various local programs that expand community mental health services to children, youth, adults and older adults who have severe mental illnesses. Efforts include:
  • Expand recovery and resiliency mental heath services to children, youth, adults and older adults who have severe mental illnesses.
  • Implement the Prevention and Early Intervention program to reduce stigma, conduct outreach on recognizing early signs of mental illness, and reduce negative mental health outcomes such as suicide, incarceration, homelessness, school failure, unemployment and foster care.
  • Develop innovative programs to improve access to high-quality mental health services.
  • Expand capital facilities and address technology needs.
  • Recruit, retain, and train additional staff to provide mental health services.

20 - LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES

The Long-Term Care Services Program administers the California state hospital system, the Forensic Conditional Release Program (CONREP), the Sex Offender Commitment Program, and the treatment and evaluation of judicially and civilly committed and voluntary patients. The state hospital system includes five state hospitals: Atascadero, Metropolitan, Napa, Patton and Coalinga. In addition, this program includes two inpatient psychiatric programs, one at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville and one at Salinas Valley State Prison, which provide treatment services to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) inmates. This program also provides services to juvenile justice wards of CDCR at the Southern Youth Correctional Treatment Center in Norwalk.

35 - DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

Departmental Administration provides an array of services to support the Community Services and Long-Term Care Services Programs in meeting their objectives. Services provided include: budgeting, accounting, contracts and procurement, fiscal systems, information technology, personnel, labor relations, business services, local program financial support, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliance.