SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Another one of Interim County Chair Terra Lawson-Remer priorities is behavioral and mental health resources.
It’s something she’ll be talking about in her state of the county speech tonight.
Just last month, she and other county leaders unveiled a five-year framework to expand those resources.
“Well, we’ve definitely seen a lot of activity,” Judi Holder, NAMI San Diego & Imperial County
Holder is the managing director of programs for NAMI San Diego, a local behavioral health organization.
ABC 10News spoke with her about where the state of behavioral health is right now in the County.
“I think where they’re focusing a lot of effort in the work that I do is the certification of peer-support specialists, creating that pathway that would allow for a greater drawing down of MediCal funds,” Holder said.
Another focus of the County was laid out in a framework to expand behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment capacity by 2030.
The plan aims to more than double the treatment capacity in San Diego County to more than 32,000 slots.
“Cautious optimism. And I think a key to bringing these hopes and promises to fruition is really the incorporation of the community,” Holder said.
Lawson-Remer said in March in a press release after the framework was announced, "These investments are already making a real impact—reducing pressure on hospitals, keeping people out of jail, and providing real recovery pathways. Now, we’re scaling up to meet the full scope of this challenge."
