Behavioral Health

Mental Health Services Act

MHSA Mission

To create a state-of-the-art, culturally competent system that promotes recovery/wellness for adults and older adults with severe mental illness and resiliency for children with serious emotional disorders and their families.

MHSA Vision

The MHSA pledges to look beyond “business as usual” to help build a system where access will be easier, services are more effective, out-of-home and institutional care are reduced and stigma toward those with severe mental illness or serious emotional disturbance no longer exists.

MHSA Core Principles 

•Client/family-driven

•Cultural competence

•Community collaboration

•Service integration

•Focus on recovery, wellness, and resilience

•Serving the unserved and underserved

What the Mental Health Services Act Does: 

The MHSA addresses a broad continuum of prevention, early intervention, and service needs as well as providing funding for infrastructure, technology, and training for the community mental health system. The MHSA specifies five required components: 

  • CSS (Community Services and Supports) involves the funding of direct services to individuals with severe mental illness.
  • CFTN (Capital Facilities and Technological Needs) makes provision for building projects and improvement of mental health services delivery by increasing technological capacity through funding.
  • WET (Workforce, Education, and Training) includes providing funds to improve the capacity of the mental health workforce.
  • PEI (Prevention and Early Intervention) serves to allocate an investment of 20% of the MHSA funding of outreach programs for families and providers to recognize early signs of mental illness.
  • INN (Innovation) involves the funding and evaluation of new approaches to increase access to underserved communities, promotion of interagency collaboration, and increase the overall quality of mental health services.

MHSA Documents