Measure O annual report shows increase in funding for essential homelessness, mental health services

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today accepted the Measure O update and annual report for fiscal year 2022–23. Presented by the Citizen’s Oversight Committee for Measure O, a quarter-cent sales tax that was approved by voters in 2020 to fund mental health, substance abuse disorder and homelessness services, the annual report provides an update on the growing list of achievements attained during this second full year of the measure.

Measure O provided $22.4 million in funding for projects and programs in the past year and ended the fiscal year with a fund balance of $31 million. Specific impacts of Measure O include 319 people housed in residential care facilities for an average stay of 247 days; 172 people served in psychiatric health facilities; 1,101 people served in the Crisis Stabilization Unit; 324 people provided residential substance use disorder treatment; and 74 people placed in housing.

“It’s worth noting that Sonoma County experienced a 22 percent drop in homelessness last year,” said Board of Supervisors Chair David Rabbitt. “While there were many contributing factors, the Measure O funding and programs clearly played a key role — and will continue to do so.”

Highlights of the report include:

• Mobile Support Team Expansion: A partnership with the cities of Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Cotati to provide rapid response to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises, the program is expanding to cover the remainder of the county this year. Measure O awarded $2.4 million to SAFE and InRESPONSE, existing mobile support teams that operate in those cities.
• Behavioral Health School Partnership: This new program provides schools with a direct connection to behavioral health staff to consult with and help train school staff to identify students in need of behavioral health services.
• Substance Use Disorder Services Expansion: With Measure O funding, the county is participating in the California Department of Health Care Services 5-year demonstration project designed to establish how organized substance use disorder care can increase the success of individuals.
• Mental Wellness Program at Santa Rosa Junior College: The new program provides counseling services and funding psychology trainees, a Spanish-speaking therapist and outreach worker, and a nurse practitioner experienced in prescribing psychotropic medications.
• Homelessness Services Expansion: The program includes developing a model of care coordination that provides multi-disciplinary case management and other services to enable individuals who have been homeless to live successfully in permanent supportive housing.

These programs and several others were funded by nearly $22.5 million of Measure O funds, which are administered by the county Department of Health Services.

“Measure O has been a gamechanger in terms of being able to provide sufficient services to individuals with mental illnesses and getting more people off the streets and into permanent housing,” said DHS Director Tina Rivera. “It’s a privilege to work in a county that cares deeply about those in need and I’m very proud of our staff who have embraced this voter mandate to do the work they do best.”

Looking ahead

Several additional initiatives are in the works for the current fiscal year. These include opening a new permanent supportive housing facility in Guerneville, releasing requests for proposals for peer support, expanded youth drug and alcohol treatment services, innovative behavioral health solutions, and expanding our service area for the Behavioral Health School Partnership program. 

The Measure O Annual Report in English and Spanish is posted on the County’s website at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/health-and-human-services/health-services/divisions/behavioral-health/about-us/measure-o/reports.

# # #
Media Contact:
Sheri Cardo, Communications Specialist
Sheri.Cardo@sonoma-county.org
(707) 565-8619