When it comes to mental health in Butte County should officials focus on homelessness, youth outreach or substance use? These are the types of questions the county is posing to residents through an annual survey and series of upcoming meetings.
Each year Butte County Behavioral Health spends millions in state funds on dozens of mental health related services and resources. This includes programs like the Mobile Crisis unit, Passages Connections and the Sixth Street Drop-In Center.
The department is holding in-person meetings in Chico, Oroville, Paradise and Gridley to ask what kinds of mental health services residents think are needed in their communities, and it’s an important question.
Behavioral Health was identified as one of the top three health priority areas for the county. According to the county’s latest Community Health Improvment Plan, rates of drug overdose and suicide deaths in Butte County are higher than average in California, and “certain groups, including Black/African American and Native American/Alaska Native residents, youth, queer communities, and immigrant communities, are particularly affected by behavioral health conditions.”
The meetings will include the department’s plans to address behavioral health issues in 2025 and focus on services funded by the state’s Mental Health Services Act. It’s a state-led funding source that provides money for about a third of Behavioral Health’s budget, including drop-in medical services, wellness programs and preventative care.
Sam Casale, Mental Health Services Act Coordinator for Behavioral Health, handles the funding for these programs. Casale says the department hopes to gather input from community members and behavioral health practitioners at the meetings.
“A lot of the stuff that we put out there for feedback really does matter and I encourage anybody who's got a question — even if it's a bone to pick — come ask me,” Casale said. “We'll be out there and we're happy to take any questions or get them to where they need to go.”
Behavioral Health Director, Scott Kennelly, said the feedback will help the county focus the funding. Especially, he said, if it’s from people directly involved with Behavioral Health services.
“If you are a consumer or a family member of a consumer or client in Butte County, and you have an opinion, we really want to hear from you about how are services going that you're actually receiving?” Kennelly said, “and what, if anything, would you like to change? That's feedback that we don't get enough of and we'd like to get better representation from.”
Meeting schedule
Chico
5:30-6:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 30
Chico Public Library
1108 Sherman Ave.
Virtual (Zoom meeting)
5:30-6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 4
Meeting ID: 853 6398 7405
Passcode: 511396
Gridley
5:30-6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 6
Gridley Public Library
299 Spruce St.
Paradise
5:30-6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 13
Paradise Public Library
5922 Clark Rd.
Virtual (Zoom meeting)
10:00-11:00 am, Tuesday, Feb. 18
Meeting ID: 853 6398 7405
Passcode: 511396
Oroville
5:30-6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20
Oroville Public Library
1820 Mitchell Ave.
