A recent article from the National Association of Counties (NACo) highlighted Supervisor Steve Ding’s leadership in pushing for reforms to outdated federal mental health funding rules that limit treatment capacity for counties like San Joaquin.
The article focuses on Ding’s efforts to reform the decades-old “IMD exclusion,” which restricts Medicaid reimbursement for larger behavioral health treatment facilities—forcing counties to reduce bed space even as mental health and addiction crises continue to grow.
NACo noted that reforming these federal restrictions could significantly expand treatment access in San Joaquin County, strengthen the impact of the county’s new $261 million BeWell behavioral health campus, and reduce pressure on hospitals, law enforcement, and emergency services.
This is another example of Steve Ding working beyond the local level to advocate for practical, long-term solutions to homelessness, mental health, and public safety challenges.
Read the original article here: