Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has made delivering more mental health and addiction treatment to San Diego County residents one of her highest priorities since joining the Board of Supervisors in 2021. 

Since taking office, the County has launched four new crisis stabilization units, saw a 77 percent increase in new behavioral health full time employees, and deployed 42 new mobile crisis response teams- which helped to successfully resolve over 50 percent of calls in the field, thereby reducing the burden on hospitals, emergency rooms, law enforcement and other first responders. Since 2021, the County has created 5,000 residential care slots for Substance Abuse Disorder (SAD), helping those battling addiction. 

In the face of the massive 18,000-worker shortfall of behavioral health employees in the County, she has launched initiatives to train more mental health and addiction treatment workers to help combat problems like homelessness and reduce hospital crowding. 

In 2024 she worked for the successful passage of Prop 1, which refocuses funding to prioritize the rehabilitation of individuals in encampments and with the greatest mental health needs, as well as to create more treatment beds and veteran housing. The County is working with state government officials to secure $580 Million in additional resources to fund 4,000 more treatment beds. 

Supervisor Lawson-Remer's policies and votes have strengthened patient care in San Diego County. But more work is needed to deliver quality, accessible, and affordable health care for every San Diegan.