During their virtual Zoom meeting on Jan. 26, the California State University Board of Trustees voted to sponsor a proposed bill. This bill plans to expand student mental health services across college campuses in California by the 2021-2022 school year.
The proposed bill aims to implement the College Mental Health Services Program, which would accumulate administrative funding from Proposition 63. From this, the distribution of funds will go towards the California State Universities, the California Community College system, and the University of California campuses. The goal is to open more student mental health programs on campuses and hire more counselors in order to provide students with the support they need.
In Nov. 2004, Proposition 63, also known as the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), was passed. Since then, there has been a 1% increase in state personal income tax that reaches up to $1 million. This provides the ability to financially support services and programs that support students’ mental health.
According to the California Faculty Association (CFA), data reports from 2014 show that California State Universities have an average of 2,506 students per counselor system-wide. According to the data collected by the CFA that same year, Sonoma State University has 1,935 students per counselor.
Dr. Steven Filling, a political action chair for the CFA and professor of accounting at Stanislaus State, said, “It is clear from the data and the lived experiences of our faculty, that the most effective mechanism for increasing the availability of quality student mental health services is to engage more full-time tenure-track counseling faculty.”
Once the CSU Board of Trustees receive notice of the final appropriation from the funding, the number of additional counselors and potential programs will be decided. Senior Legislative Advocate at California State University, Nichole Muñoz-Murillo said, “The timing of this bill could not be more appropriate with our campuses currently experiencing significant increased demand for mental health services.”
By Feb. 19, the bill will be introduced to the California State Legislature, followed by policy committee hearings in March and April and a fiscal committee in May.
Additionally, as the CSU moves their attention to restoring campus communities due to COVID-19 measures, the Board of Trustees Committee on Finance called for a state investment with a budget plan of $556 million, which will replace lost financial funds from 2020-2021.
This budget plan is also a part of the recurring funding from Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal. The proposal stated, “$15 million recurring is for student technology access and student mental health.”
Newsom’s budget proposal plans to provide additional financial support to all CSU campuses, faculty, staff and students. The CSU Board of Trustees Committee on Finance’s agenda states, “$225 million in one-time funding, including $175 million for deferred maintenance and $30 million for emergency assistance to students who were previously working full-time.”
Steve Relyea, executive vice chancellor and chief financial officer at California State University shared reassuring thoughts that the federal government proposes to provide a significant amount of one-time funding to the CSU: “The governor is proposing increasing both one-time and recurring funding for the CSU in the 2021-22 fiscal year and we appreciate that support and level of competence by the governor’s administration.”
To stay posted with this bill, visit The CSU’s webpage for the Board of Trustees (www2.calstate.edu/csu-system/board-of-trustees).
