State Senator Nancy Skinner, Chair of the Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety and the Judiciary, (D-Berkeley) has proposed funds under SB 844, currently available for jail expansion, be transferred to Health Care Facilities Financing Authority (HCFFA) to be used for mental health treatment facilities.

While only a small percentage of the Sheriff’s West County Detention Center expansion proposal was dedicated towards mental health beds and services, under this new budget resolution, all funds will be committed to creating the mental health services Contra Costa County needs to help prevent residents from entering the criminal justice system.

Increasing the supply of jail cells will increase the demand to fill them to justify their existence. Those are most likely to be people of color, many of whom are vital members of our community.

Polling done on this issue shows residents of Contra Costa County agree with this approach. In a recent poll of residents when asked “Which of the following statements comes closer to your personal opinion:”

Our county should place a higher priority on increasing access to

mental health services in communities. ------------------------------------------------------ 57%

OR

Our county should place a higher priority on increasing access to

mental health services in jails. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 15%

(BOTH)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22%

(NEITHER)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4%

(DK/NA)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3%

SERVICES NOT CELLS!