Sheriff and Mental Health Experts Warn Loss of State Funding for Mobile Crisis Teams Could Set Back Crisis Care in San Diego County

San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez joined mental health experts and county officials last week to sound the alarm over proposed state budget cuts that could sharply limit the reach of Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRTs) across California. The teams, which provide on-the-spot support to individuals experiencing mental health crises regardless of insurance or housing status, have been credited with improving access to emergency care and diverting law enforcement from situations where they may lack specialized training.

Since 2021, San Diego County has expanded its MCRTs to 44 teams, responding to over 32,000 calls. According to Sheriff Martinez, only 2% of those calls required law enforcement backup.

The teams, staffed by trained civilians, connect individuals to long-term mental health services while reducing the burden on deputies. “This partnership allows us to keep deputies focused on high priority calls and community safety while ensuring people in crisis receive care, coordination, stabilization support and connection to ongoing treatment,” Martinez said.

The funding crisis stems from Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised budget proposal, which would transform mobile crisis services from a mandatory Medi-Cal benefit into an optional, county-funded program starting in April 2027. The change follows a federal reduction in matching funds under the American Rescue Plan Act, from 85% to 50% in 2027.

The County Behavioral Health Directors’ Association of California (CBHDA) estimates counties would need to find $169 million annually to maintain the service. For San Diego County, that could mean a $24 million budget hit.

Jessica Wilson, CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness California, warned that making mobile crisis optional would create a “patchwork system” where some families receive trained crisis teams while others are left with no reliable response. “Making mobile crisis optional would move us backwards,” she said.

Nadia Privara Brahms, director of San Diego County Behavioral Health Services, noted that the federal Republican megabill, House Resolution 1 (the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”), is expected to reduce Medi-Cal enrollment by 500,000 people by January 2027, potentially increasing demand for mobile crisis services. “As we see the impacts of H.R.

1, it’s likely that more people will need mobile crisis services as they lose their health care benefits,” she said. She called the mandatory mobile crisis “essential to support our children, neighbors, our loved ones in crisis” and urged the governor and Legislature to prioritize long-term funding.

The county has invested heavily in behavioral health in recent years, opening new crisis stabilization centers as part of its “Care Before Crisis” strategy aimed at reducing homelessness, incarceration, and hospitalization. However, officials fear the proposed cuts will limit care to the 112,000 San Diegans currently served by the program.