On October 8, 2024, members of Inland Action met with Carina Cabrera.
Carina Cabrera serves as the appointed Inland Empire Deputy Regional Director of External Affairs for the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. She joined the Newsom administration in January 2021 as a Southern California Regional Coordinator supporting the administration’s pandemic response and conducting outreach in hard-to-reach communities. In her current position, Carina leads stakeholder engagement across four counties working with local elected officials, community-based organizations, business organizations, educational institutions, and many regional partners to create stronger collaboration between the local and state level.
Ms. Cabrera shared information regarding the implementation of Proposition 1. With a narrow margin of 50.18% favorable, Proposition 1, Behavioral Health Services Program and Bond Measure passed in March 2024. Governor Newsom announced the initial funding of Prop 1 in July 2024. The project incorporates new funding as well as other sources of funding for cities and counties including Behavioral Health Bridge Housing, Encampment Resolution Funds, Mobile Crisis (AB 988), Full Service Partnership, CARE Act, LPS Conservatorship Reform (SB 43), and Opioid Response creating county toolboxes. California Department of Health Care Services, California Health and Human Services, CalVet, and California Housing and Community Development are all working together in coordinating the implementation. With San Bernardino identified as an early adopter, some health care members did express concern about the lack of long-term housing for those needing services and meeting the early adoption deadlines.