Significant changes to California’s behavioral health funding are hitting home in Lake County. Lake County Behavioral Health Services has announced the upcoming closure of two peer support centers due to recent budgetary shifts impacting the entire state. The Big Oak Peer Support Center in Clearlake Oaks and the Circle of Native Minds in Lakeport are both scheduled to shut their doors effective June 1. Officials state these closures are a direct response to statewide restructuring tied to Proposition 1 and the transition to the Behavioral Health Services Act. These legislative changes have fundamentally altered how counties can allocate mental health funding. While the physical locations are closing, LCBHS officials emphasize that early intervention and community-based support remain core values. The department is currently exploring new partnerships and grants to sustain these services in a different capacity moving forward.