Mental Health Services Act Workforce Education and Training (WET) Component

Workforce Education and Training Overview

Proposition 63 (known as the Mental Health Services Act or MHSA) passed by the voters in November 2004, provides increased funding, personnel and other resources to support county mental health programs and monitor progress toward statewide goals for children, transition age youth, adults, older adults and families. The Act permits services for a continuum of services as well as for the necessary infrastructure, technology and training elements. MHSA is funded through a 1% income tax on personal income in excess of $1 million. The MHSA calls for five essential elements of a transformed mental health system:

Community Collaboration

• Cultural Competence
• Client/Family Driven
• Recovery and Wellness Focus
• Integrated Service Experience

The Education and Training component of MHSA is one of six components of the Act and includes:

• Addressing identified shortages in occupations, skill sets, and individuals with unique cultural and linguistic competence in urban and rural county mental health programs and private organizations providing services in the Public Mental Health System.

• Education and training for all individuals who provide or support services in the Public Mental Health System, to include fostering leadership skills. This is education and training that contributes to developing and maintaining a culturally competent workforce, to include clients and family members, who are capable of providing client- and family-driven services that promote wellness, recovery and resilience, and lead to measurable, values-driven outcomes.

The types of workforce education and training actions that can be funded with MHSA dollars are:

• Workforce Staffing Support
• Training and Technical Assistance
• Mental Health Career Pathway Programs
• Residency, Internship Programs
• Financial Incentive Programs

For information on WET from the California Department of Mental Health (DMH), please access their website by clicking here.

For information on WET from our contracted partner BHETA, a County of San Diego contract program of the Academy of Professional Excellence- a project of SDSU School of Social Work, please access their website by clicking here.

Education and Training Needs Assessment Presentation - May 1st, 2008 Mental Health Board meeting

Mental Health Services Act/Proposition 63 Comment/Question Line:
(619) 584-5063
Toll-Free: (888) 977-6763
MHSProp63.HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov