Providers: hundreds on IMT/ACT waitlists; advocates urge housing, peers and workforce investments

Multiple providers testifying at the oversight hearing described serious gaps in long‑term community supports for people with complex mental‑health needs and urged immediate investments to reduce waitlists for intensive mobile treatment (IMT) and assertive community treatment (ACT).

CA, CASES, CUCS and other providers testified that IMT and ACT teams are effective at stabilizing people in the community, increasing housing placements and engaging clients in treatment, but that capacity has not kept pace with demand. Vera Institute and provider witnesses cited March 2025 figures reported publicly and during testimony: IMT waitlist ~672 and ACT waitlist ~682. Providers said people on waitlists are offered care coordination but many need the higher intensity services only IMT/ACT can deliver.

Speakers urged a set of concrete steps: eliminate IMT/ACT waitlists through targeted budget increases, create or expand supportive housing pathways and prioritize IMT clients for housing placement, invest in peer workforce development and supervision (peer career ladders and paid peer supervisor roles), and expand culturally and linguistically competent services for immigrant communities. Several providers recommended a centralized IMT training and technical assistance hub to preserve fidelity as teams scale.

What’s next: Advocates asked the council to require public reporting on waitlist sizes and demographics and for the administration to identify how FY26 funds will be used to expand teams, fund peer positions and reduce time to permanent housing for high‑need clients.