Opening Perspective: A New Reality for Families
Imagine a young student arriving for his counseling session with an empty lunch bag in hand, shoulders tense as he describes another afternoon spent wandering the streets because there’s nowhere safe to play. He’s been meeting with a therapist each week, but by the time he leaves, the weight of an empty fridge and the fear of falling behind in class follow him home. His mother, recently laid off after the LA fires destroyed the property she maintained, can’t always fill the gap between what traditional talk therapy provides and the basics he needs to thrive. It’s clear that our work can’t stop at the therapy door—it must extend into the communities, schools, and homes where these children live, eat, and learn. Proposition 1 gives us the opportunity—and the resources—to close that gap, and Vista Del Mar is prepared to meet the rising needs of today’s youth and families with integrated, whole-person support.
Transforming Systems Through Proposition 1
With the March 2024 passage of Proposition 1, California transformed its Mental Health Services Act into the broader Behavioral Health Services Act—reorienting the state’s investment from exclusively treating mental illness to addressing the full spectrum of behavioral health needs, including homelessness, substance use disorders, and social determinants such as food insecurity and community safety. Under the new Act, counties must dedicate 35 percent of their Behavioral Health Services Act funding to comprehensive behavioral health services and supports (including prevention, early intervention, workforce development, and innovative pilots) and 30 percent to housing interventions for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness—with half of that housing allocation prioritized for the chronically homeless. For Vista Del Mar, this shift unlocks new funding streams and broadens our mandate to integrate Enhanced Care Management, school‑based coordination, and substance use treatment into our core programs—ensuring families receive not only therapy, but also help securing stable housing, nutritious food, and enriching activities.
Elevating Early Intervention for Youth
For the children and families we serve, Proposition 1’s emphasis on early intervention and youth supports is especially significant. California data show that one in 13 children has a serious emotional disturbance—and the Behavioral Health Services Act requires a majority (51 percent) of behavioral health services and supports funds to target the early signs of mental illness or substance misuse, with a majority of those dollars earmarked for people 25 years and younger. Vista Del Mar will leverage this youth‑focused funding to scale up our Enhanced Care Management model—coordinating school readiness, family food security, and outpatient therapy—while also expanding wraparound housing programs with rental subsidies and family‑centered solutions. By pairing therapeutic interventions with stable living conditions and robust community supports, we give children and families the best possible foundation for long‑term well‑being.
Enhanced Care Management: Meeting Families Where They Are
Enhanced Care Management is a structured, person-centered approach that helps individuals and families navigate complex health and social systems. Through dedicated care coordination, ECM connects people to the services they need most—whether that’s medical care, mental health support, housing, food, or help at school. For families facing multiple challenges, ECM ensures there’s someone in their corner—advocating, organizing, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks.
“What makes Enhanced Care Management different is our ability to truly meet people where they are,” says Autumn Breck, Director of Enhanced Care Management. “We look beyond the immediate crisis and take the time to understand the full picture—what’s happening at home, at school, in their health and environment. It’s about building trust, showing up consistently, and making sure every person feels seen, supported, and connected to the care they need to move forward.”
its core, ECM is about taking action to remove barriers to care. Each family is paired with a care manager who works closely with them to develop a plan, connect them with resources, and follow through—step by step. It’s not just about making referrals; it’s about making sure those services are accessed and that families feel supported throughout the process. From helping a child get therapy to securing stable housing, ECM is the glue that holds all the moving parts together so families can focus on healing and stability.
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Programs: Integrated Treatment for Youth
In recent years, Vista has noticed a significant increase in youth experiencing mental health challenges and self-medicating with drugs or other substances. Substance use and mental health are deeply connected—and for many of the youth Vista serves, untreated substance use disorders (SUDs) often intensify emotional and behavioral struggles. Historically, California has lacked a strong infrastructure to support young people with co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions. Fortunately, expanded state funding dedicated to improving the availability of mental and behavioral health care now gives Vista the opportunity to help bridge this longstanding gap.
Through the state’s Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), Vista was awarded $3.2 million to renovate a building on our campus into a 16-bed inpatient treatment center, designed specifically for youth facing both mental health and substance use challenges. Our new mental health and SUD treatment services program—which will be licensed as a healthcare rather than a social services facility—represents a critical evolution in how we deliver care. This short-term, strength-based intervention focuses on treatment, stabilization, clinical recovery, and whole-person healing, and expands the continuum of care services that Vista offers to youth.
“This integrated mental health and SUD treatment program fills a statewide void for youth, particularly those who are Medi-Cal-eligible and lack access to care, who are navigating substance use, trauma, and often system involvement,” explains Karriann Farrell Hinds, Vista’s Chief Strategy Officer. “Youth will be able to access intensive inpatient interventions and, once stabilized, step down to continue receiving treatment for their co-occurring mental and SUD conditions on an outpatient basis—all within the same agency. Studies show that this integrated treatment approach is more effective and leads to more sustainable, lasting recoveries.”
This work aligns directly with the goals of Proposition 1, which expands California’s behavioral health funding to include not just clinical therapy, but housing, substance use treatment, and early intervention. By offering integrated care under one roof, Vista is embodying the Act’s vision: that behavioral health systems must treat the full person—not just the diagnosis—and meet young people where they are, especially those who have historically fallen through the cracks.
To ensure continuity of care, Vista is also launching an outpatient SUD treatment services program that will serve young people in our residential programs and broader Vista community, including those in wraparound care and our nonpublic school. This program, inspired by support received from LA City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, facilitates integration of these services into our expanding behavioral health framework and enables Vista to ensure that no young person facing complex mental and behavioral health and SUD conditions is left to navigate recovery alone.
Addressing Youth Homelessness Through Integrated Support
At Vista, we recognize housing instability not just as a social issue, but a behavioral health crisis that demands a comprehensive response. Youth experiencing homelessness often grapple with overlapping challenges—untreated mental health conditions, trauma, and disconnection from supportive systems. With the passage of Proposition 1, California is paving the way for agencies like Vista del Mar to deliver integrated solutions that address these complex needs head-on.
Vista’s Intensive Community-Based Services, led by Rebecca Hadar, exemplifies this approach. By integrating housing solutions into our behavioral health programs, we’re building a responsive model that supports the whole person. This includes coordinated access to mental health care, substance use treatment, and wraparound services—all anchored by the stability of safe housing. Together, these efforts ensure that youth are not only housed, but also supported in healing, growth, and long-term well-being.
This integrated approach embodies the core promise of Proposition 1: that lasting outcomes are only possible when behavioral health and housing work hand in hand. Through a unified care model that bridges multiple programs, Vista ensures that youth experiencing homelessness receive more than temporary shelter—they gain the support, stability, and empowerment needed to build a foundation for long-term well-being.
Conclusion: A New Chapter for Behavioral Health
Vista Del Mar’s evolving care model reflects a bold commitment to go beyond—beyond the limitations of traditional care, beyond the walls of any one program, and beyond the moment of crisis. Thanks to Proposition 1 and the dedication of Vista’s teams, we now have the resources and infrastructure to treat the full spectrum of a child’s needs. We are not only offering clinical interventions, but also supporting housing, food access, education, and recovery. This is a new chapter—one where care is comprehensive, coordinated, and rooted in compassion. And as we rise to meet this moment, our goal remains unchanged: to build a future where every child and family can access the healing, hope, and resiliency they deserve.
