Newsom's push to alter spending on state mental health system faces pivotal test
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to transform California's mental health system faces its final hurdle in the state Legislature this week as lawmakers decide whether to place a pair of measures on the March 2024 ballot that would expand substance abuse treatment and generate $4.68 billion to build facilities to provide care for 10,000 patients.
The governor and his aides have spent months quelling concerns from counties and advocates for children and families about how his overhaul could shift funds away from existing services. The proposals are expected to pass, but the tensions along the way underscore the challenges Newsom confronts as he tries to address a homelessness crisis that has scarred
