Many people can’t access care for serious behavioral health conditions. Others don’t engage long-term because of the difficulty getting care or because available services don’t meet their needs. Some of the system’s challenges start with an inadequate workforce — licensed behavioral health clinicians are in short supply and often aren’t linguistically or culturally aligned with the population in need.

The challenges in access to traditional care have opened the door for new models of care supported by federal and state policy and financing changes. For example, Medi-Cal is pioneering new interventions for stimulant use disorders, and comprehensive behavioral health models like Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics hold promise for more accessible and equitable care.

CHCF supports behavioral health services available where people live and in the languages they speak. The foundation believes these approaches can significantly improve engagement with care, particularly for people of color and those who speak languages other than English. CHCF’s commitment is to pilot and evaluate care models that meet people where they are — including low-barrier options like sobering centers, mobile services, and telehealth.