The Mental Health Services Act was a voter-approved initiative in 2004 to fund efforts to close gaps in the behavioral health system and transform it in California into a system focused on wellness, recovery, and resilience.

The MHSA uses revenues from a 1% sales tax on millionaires to fund local programs driven by local needs. This page provides information about MHSA and Fresno County’s MHSA-driven activities.

MHSA comprises five components. Each component has its own focus, funding, and, in some cases, reporting requirements and outcomes.

MHSA activities are driven by the MHSA Three-Year Plan (and Annual Updates), which are developed through a community planning process that incorporates meaningful stakeholder input. Below you will find information on each of the five components, a short video for each, and any related plans, regulations, or resources.

Community Services and Supports (CSS)

CSS, as it's known, is one of the five components of MHSA. It's broken into three categories, including intensive outpatient services and whole-person support through Full-Service Partnerships.

Systems Development, the second component, can range from outpatient programs to systems support and resources development. The last component is Outreach and Engagement, which focuses on assisting individuals with serious mental illness into care.

Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI)

Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) consists of six strategies. Services in PEI are meant to prevent or reduce seven negative outcomes from an unaddressed mental health issue:

school failure
justice involvement
loss of placement
loss of employment
housing/homelessness
prolonged suffering
suicide as a result of an untreated mental illness

PEI services focus on reducing disparities for unserved, underserved, and inappropriately served racial, ethnic, and cultural communities. Also, a majority of PEI funding has to be spent on services for children, youth, and transition-aged youth.

The six strategies for PEI are:

Prevention
Early Intervention, which are short-term services up to 18 months, or up to four years if for the first episode or early onset of a serious mental illness or emotional disturbance
Outreach for Increasing Recognition of Early Signs of Mental Illness
Access and Linkage
Suicide Prevention
Stigma and Discrimination Reduction

A county of Fresno’s size requires a program for each of the six strategies. The full list of PEI programs is available in the MHSA Three-Year Plan and Annual Updates. For details on PEI regulations and requirements, click here.

Innovation (INN)

INN-MHSA’s Innovation (INN) component provides California with the opportunity to develop and test new, unproven mental health models and to adapt others, with the potential to become tomorrow’s best practices.

The primary purpose of Innovation Projects is to provide learning. More information around Innovation can be found here.

Workforce Education and Training (WET)

The WET (Workforce Education and Training) component of MHSA is designed to develop a well-trained, informed, and culturally diverse workforce to meet California's growing needs. WET programs and services are used to educate and train new members of the workforce, including peers.

To develop, improve, and enhance the professional skills of the workforce, and to help shape the next generation of behavioral health workforce thought pathways, training, and education. For more information on WET services, contact the WET Coordinator at MHSA@fresnocountyca.gov.

Capital Facilities and Technology Needs (CFTN)

Capital Facilities and Technology Needs (CFTN) - a part of the MHSA that counties can contribute MHSA funds to, in order to address infrastructure needs of the system of care.

This may range from developing clinics and training centers to building electronic health records, data systems, and software to improve service delivery.

People's arms and hands