Alameda County Board of Supervisors Health Committee Meeting on BHSA Plan and Bridge Funding – May 11, 2026
Alameda County Board of Supervisors Health Committee Meeting – May 11, 2026
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors Health Committee convened on May 11, 2026, to discuss two major action items: the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) three-year integrated plan (Item 1A) and a one-year bridge funding plan to support the transition from the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) to BHSA (Item 1B). The committee heard presentations from AC Behavioral Health leadership, extensive public testimony, and deliberated on funding gaps, provider impacts, and compliance with state requirements. The committee voted to advance the BHSA integrated plan to the full Board and to pursue full restoration of cut programs through bridge funding, with a special Board meeting scheduled for May 19, 2026.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Prevention Providers (UELP, CMHC, etc.): Numerous speakers from Filipino Advocates for Justice, Cultura y Bienestar, First Five Alameda County, Crisis Support Services, Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities, Alameda Family Services, Peers, and others urged full restoration of prevention and early intervention programs. They stressed that culturally responsive, linguistically accessible prevention services are critical for immigrant, refugee, and Indigenous communities and that cuts would lead to increased crises, hospitalizations, and suicides.
- Behavioral Health Collaborative: Valerie Gallo requested sufficient bridge funding to allow responsible program transitions and avoid abrupt closures that harm continuity of care.
- Additional Testimony: Speakers highlighted the need for SSI/Medi-Cal advocacy, suicide prevention training, grief support, and trauma-informed care for underserved populations. Noha Abualada (Roots Community Health) noted that cutting base funding forfeits federal Medi-Cal matching dollars (up to 90% federal match).
Discussion Items
Item 1A – BHSA Three-Year Integrated Plan
- Dr. Karen Tribble, Vanessa Baker, and Tracy Hazleton presented the draft plan, noting a state template error that doubled the carryover amount (actual carryover likely $20–$25 million less than shown). Revenues are projected at $164 million (27% below previous MHSA budget).
- The plan shifts focus to severe mental illness and substance use, with 30% for housing, 35% for full service partnerships, and 35% for other services (including early intervention). Approximately $52.7 million in program reductions were identified; $32 million in solutions were found within ACBH.
- Supervisor Tam questioned the use of carryover across years and explored moving $9 million from year three to year one to reduce the gap. Staff explained that MHSA carryover can only be used for one year, and shifting it would require rebalancing the plan, potentially causing cuts in years two and three and risking state compliance.
- Community planning included 613 surveys and 35 listening sessions; top community needs: access/coordination/navigation, crisis services, housing.
Item 1B – One-Year Bridge Funding Plan
- Anika Chowdhury presented the bridge proposal: one-time funding for FY 2026-27 to help providers transition. The total transition gap is $77 million; $32 million in solutions were identified; $52.7 million in reductions; up to $35 million in potential restoration (from AC Health, Measure W, etc.), leaving a remaining gap of $10.7 million.
- Chair Miley proposed using up to $17 million from the Measure W prudent reserve for full restoration, in addition to the $35 million already identified. Supervisor Tam supported options for maximum flexibility, including possible use of carryover and Measure W funds.
- Staff noted that if the $9 million carryover is moved, it would require cuts in later years and potential state disapproval, but agreed to work with the Board on a plan.
Key Outcomes
- Motion (Approved 2-0): The committee voted to advance the BHSA three-year integrated plan to the full Board as presented, and to seek full restoration of MHSA prevention programs (up to $17 million from Measure W prudent reserve) through a one-year bridge funding plan.
- Next Steps: A special Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on May 19, 2026, to act on the bridge funding proposal. Staff will provide a detailed restoration package, identify funding sources, and outline contract authorization to ensure providers receive funds by July 1, 2026. The integrated plan will be submitted to the state by June 14, with final Board approval expected by June 30.
Meeting Transcript
All right, so good morning. I like to call to order the order supervisors health committee for May 11th. Clerk take the roll. Supervisor Cam. Present. Supervisor Miley. Present. We have a quorum. Alrighty. Would the clerk like to provide any instructions for public participation? Sure, thanks. For all participants, please state your name for the record prior to your presentation. If you wish to speak on an item not on the agenda, please wait until Chair Miley calls for public input on non-agendized items. Only matters, but then the committee's jurisdiction may be addressed to notify the clerk you wish to speak for in-person participants. Please fill out a speaker card and hand it to the clerk. The speaker cards are at the back of the room, and I am the clerk for online participants. Please use the raise hand function when we are on item that you wish to comment on. For dialed in participants, please dial star nine to use the raise hand function. Dialing it again allows you to lower your hand. The clerk will call your name when it is time for public comment. If you are in person, please come to the podium to speak. If you are online or dialed in, the clerk will call your name and allow you to unmute. That concludes the clerk instructions for public comment. Thank you. All right, thank you. So those who um can will you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? Yes. Pledge allegiance to the flag. One nation under God, invisible, liberty, justice for all. All right. This morning, all right. We've got two action items. We'll be taking public comment after we complete both items one A and one B. Um good morning, Chair Miley and Supervisor Tam. Thank you for the opportunity to present our proposition one VHSA plan. My name is Dr. Karen Tribble. I'm the behavioral health director on Alameda County, and there's a couple of context that I'd like to present to you for your consideration and understand as we walk through the process. I'm joined today by uh Vanessa Baker, Deputy Director, Plan Administrator, and our uh image or BHSA Division Director Tracy Hazleton. So there's a lot of information which we hope to give you and very important context is this is the first three-year plan where Prop One has transitioned from MHSA to BHSA. What is also important to note, and this is something we've already gotten lots of uh public comment on is there is an error in the state's template statewide for calculations. So it doubles the amount that is in our carryover. So for example, it shows a 40 million dollar addition and in our template as well as a 18 million dollar in some other components. Now, what we are trying to show you, and the state is working with everyone. But they have notified counties and they have asked us to use another feedback. So essentially for those uh constituents who I believe you also probably have heard of, is that there's more calculation that would be true if the actual calculations were correct. So what we think is going to be about a between 20 to 25 million dollar reduction in our carryover, nevertheless, because we've been planning on actual like extrapolated numbers and we've been working with our finance and our team and our leadership as well as state uh consultants. So we are more on track and more aligned with what that will actually be. So we'll provide more information when we get to that section, but I wanted to call that out to you. Um and the other piece to acknowledge is although the state is revising the template and will require that all counties resubmit um by or um in a few weeks, June 14th.
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