One of the areas hit hardest by the proposed state budget cutbacks is mental health services. Many of the people who use county mental health facilities are the most vulnerable people in society, and the most marginal politically. Others are often too embarrassed to admit they use the services.

Mental health facilities are not only facing staffing cutbacks; many are being threatened with closure. Like many counties, Solano has been dealing with its budget problems by not hiring new workers when someone leaves. The county then proposed to eliminate 33 positions. When added to the already existing vacancies, this would leave the mental health system short 191 staff positions according to Local 535 field representative Anes Lewis-Partridge. People are already working long hours of overtime at a job that is high stress to begin with. The county also considered closing one of its two crisis centers, the Vallejo Crisis Center, which would have meant that people going through a mental health breakdown in this community would have to travel to neighboring Fairfield, many miles away.