This bill establishes a Behavioral Health Grant Program and a corresponding fund to support community-based initiatives aimed at the prevention, treatment, and screening of behavioral health issues. The program will be administered by the local government division of the Department of Finance and Administration, which will award grants to municipalities and counties based on evidence-based or research-based approaches. To qualify for grants, applicants must submit an adopted behavioral health plan and adhere to guidelines that ensure equitable distribution of funds based on geographic needs and existing services.

Funding for the Behavioral Health Grant Program will come from a portion of the net receipts from both the liquor excise tax and the cannabis excise tax. Specifically, the bill mandates that 2% of the liquor excise tax and 5% of the cannabis excise tax be allocated to the Behavioral Health Grant Program Fund. Additionally, it includes provisions for increasing Medicaid reimbursement for community-based programs through the Health Care Authority. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 7-1-6.40, 7-1-6.68