Proposition 1, which authorizes $6.38 billion in bonds to build mental health treatment facilities for those with mental health and substance use challenges and provides housing for the homeless, will be voted on in the primary election on March 5, 2024.
If registered voters vote ‘yes,’ counties would need to focus more on housing and personalized support services instead of only providing mental health care and drug or alcohol treatment services. A ‘yes’ vote would help the state build more places where people who struggle with housing and provide more places where people could get help for mental health care and drug or alcohol treatment.
If voters vote ‘no,’ counties would not be required to make changes to their health care and treatment services. The state would not be able to borrow up to $6.4 billion to build places where people struggling can go to.
Currently, California does not have enough places where people can go to get the right treatment and care. Many people are waiting or not receiving care at the right type of place. As of Jan. 2022, 171,500, people in California were experiencing homelessness, and from this total 10,400 were veterans.
“I firmly believe prop one would make a positive impact on the community especially with the bad stigma surrounding homelessness, people need to understand that mental health is a big issue that can lead people to mistakes eventually leading to homelessness.” said Heidy Santiago, a fourth-year political science major with an emphasis in prelaw and power and justice at Cal State Bakersfield.
Proposition 1 would give $2 billion to the state to give to the governments to replace motels, hotels and other buildings into housing. New housing would be for the people who experience homelessness or are at risk, and have mental health, drug, or alcohol challenges.
“With more mental health facilities, it will give the low-income community the resources they need to get help and hopefully help decrease the homelessness rates.”, continued Santiago.
$4.4 billion would go to building more places for mental health treatment facilities. California, today, does not have enough places where people struggling with these challenges can go to meaning many people do not receive the care they need.
Adriana Rodriguez, a fourth-year agriculture business major at CSUB says, “I think Prop one is a good thing. This is because as we know there are many people with mental illness as well with substance abuse. With this new proposition it can help impact the health system in a positive way by providing access and services to people who struggle with mental and substance issues.”
A state program is going ahead and starting this movement of proposition one with only $2 billion. They are currently building more places in which people will be able to receive the most intensive treatment and care such as psychiatric hospitals.
“Prop one is going to be very beneficial for people who are struggling with finances and hard times in their life, prop one can create an outlet for them to go to and find peace. Also, it is a place where they can deal with their problems and look for mental health access and benefits.” said Santino Sanchez, a second-year business administration major at CSUB.
The state program’s new building will provide a place for people to stay a short amount of time while they are receiving their treatment for drugs or alcohol. They’ll have housing while they are in the transition stage of their intensive mental health care to lower levels of care.
The proposed use of the $6.4 billion in bond funds for this proposition is split into two sections; about 30 percent ($2 billion) would go to housing, and about 70 percent ($4.4 billion) would go to places for treatment.
This proposition will be on the primary election ballot on March 5, 2024, from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
