California’s Mobile Crisis Response Teams, credited with improving emergency mental health care access, face potential elimination from state funding under Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised budget proposal. Experts and local officials warn that losing mandatory funding would shift costs to counties and create inconsistent crisis response across the state.
The Impact of MCRTs
In San Diego County, Mobile Crisis Response Teams have handled over 32,000 calls since their implementation, with only 2 percent requiring law enforcement backup. The teams include trained civilians who connect individuals to long-term services while diverting calls from police who may lack mental health training. Since 2021, San Diego has increased MCRTs to 44 teams, with 98 percent of calls receiving response in under an hour.
Funding Changes and Budget Impact
Mobile crisis services were made available under Medicaid with a federal match of 85 percent through the American Rescue Plan Act. However, the federal match drops to 50 percent in 2027, requiring counties to cover additional costs. Under Newsom’s proposal, mobile mental health crisis services would become an optional, county-funded benefit starting in April 2027. For San Diego County alone, this could mean a $24 million annual loss and across California, the state would need to find $169 million annually.
Equity Concerns and Broader Impact
Jessica Wilson, CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness California, warned that making mobile crisis optional “would move us backwards” and create a patchwork system where access depends on county funding. Nadia Privara Brahms, director of San Diego County Behavioral Health Services, noted that as people lose health care benefits under federal immigration policy changes, more will need mobile crisis services. Sheriff Kelly Martinez emphasized that MCRTs allow deputies to focus on high-priority calls while ensuring people in crisis receive proper care.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://timesofsandiego.com/health/2026/05/30/mental-health-california-budget-mobile-crisis-teams/