California Mental Health Services Act Explained

California’s approach to funding public mental health care shapes what kind of support is actually available to residents of Burbank and the rest of Los Angeles County. Much of that funding traces back to a 2004 ballot measure known as the Mental Health Services Act, which has since evolved into a broader reform effort.

Understanding how this system works helps local residents know what to expect from county-run behavioral health programs versus private care.

California voters passed the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) in 2004, funding it through a one percent income tax on personal income above one million dollars per year. The law was designed to expand and transform the state’s behavioral health system, with a particular focus on serving people with, or at risk of, serious mental illness. Rather than only funding crisis response, MHSA dollars supported prevention, early intervention, and the infrastructure needed to sustain a public behavioral health system over time.

For two decades, MHSA became the primary funding source behind many county-run mental health programs across California, including services delivered through the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. That funding model directly shaped how much capacity counties had to serve residents in cities like Burbank.

California voters approved Proposition 1 in 2024, which created the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) to replace and reform the original MHSA framework. According to the state’s behavioral health oversight commission, the BHSA prioritizes services for people with the most significant mental health needs while adding coverage for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, a term referring to clinically diagnosed patterns of harmful substance use. The reform also expands housing interventions tied to behavioral health and increases investment in the behavioral health workforce.

Two legislative bills, Senate Bill 326 and Assembly Bill 531, wrote the specific language behind this transition. Together, they also strengthened oversight, transparency, and accountability requirements at both the state and county level. The California Department of Public Health notes that a minimum share of BHSA funding must go toward population-based prevention programs, with more than half of that prevention money reserved specifically for youth under 25.

Because Burbank sits within Los Angeles County, county-level agencies, not the state directly, administer most MHSA and BHSA-funded services residents encounter. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health oversees local behavioral health programs, crisis resources, and initiatives such as CARE Court, a civil court process created to connect people with untreated serious mental illness to treatment and services. This county-administered structure means eligibility, wait times, and program availability can differ from what a resident might expect from a state-run system.

Local behavioral health departments also carry responsibilities under the Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act, California’s framework governing involuntary treatment holds for individuals in psychiatric crisis. Knowing that this legal structure exists can help Burbank families better understand what happens during a mental health emergency involving a loved one.

Regardless of whether care is delivered through a county program or a private practice, California requires behavioral health providers to hold specific licenses issued and monitored by state licensing boards. Therapists typically practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), both credentials overseen by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, while medication management is handled by a licensed psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner. Every licensed clinician, whether working inside a BHSA-funded county program or an independent Burbank practice, must complete supervised clinical hours and ongoing continuing education to maintain that license.

This licensure structure exists to protect clients, and it applies the same way whether someone is receiving county-funded specialty care or paying privately for therapy. Knowing which type of license a provider holds can help Burbank residents better understand that clinician’s specific scope of practice.

For residents trying to navigate this system, a few practical realities stand out:

This gap between publicly funded, county-administered care and private-pay treatment is one reason many Burbank families end up researching both options before choosing a path forward. For anyone weighing that decision, we outline our own fees and insurance details so it is clear upfront how private-pay and out-of-network billing works.

Understanding how the Behavioral Health Services Act funds care in Los Angeles County gives Burbank residents a clearer picture of why public programs are structured the way they are, and why many families choose to pursue private therapy alongside or instead of county services. We offer individual therapy, couples and family therapy, EMDR trauma therapy, and psychiatric medication management from our Burbank office, working as an out-of-network provider so clients can choose their own pace and treatment plan rather than waiting on county program availability.

If you would like to talk through your specific situation and see whether this kind of personalized care is the right fit, you can reach out to our Burbank team directly to ask questions and check availability.