Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has pushed for the County of San Diego to move with greater urgency when implementing the SB 43 conservatorship law, building affordable housing, and increasing local capacity for behavioral health workers; and today $35.6 million in leftover COVID-19 stimulus money was directed toward these initiatives. 

The breakdown of the funding Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and her colleagues allocated is as follows: 

• $15 million for the implementation of the SB 43 program, 

• $10 million in expanding San Diego’s Behavioral Health Workforce, 

• $10.6 million in the Innovative Housing Trust Fund, and 

• Upon availability of funding, direct up to $10 million to support natural disaster relief. 

In January, Supervisor Lawson-Remer introduced a policy to address these areas, and her proposals involving more recuperative care beds and supporting County workers was immediately approved, but her policy to increase behavioral health workers in the region was designated for review – and passed – at the February 27 meeting.   

“Investing these dollars into the long-term success of SB 43 and the expansion of our behavioral health workforce was the right way to leverage these funds,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer, Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We will now also be able to act with greater urgency to address rising housing costs. The Board made the right decisions today.”

Review this link to the entire policy.