Steinberg Institute

The Steinberg Institute was created to upend the status quo and dramatically raise the profile and increase the effectiveness of mental health policy-making in California. Founded by Sacramento Mayor and former state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, the institute is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing sound public policy and inspiring leadership on issues of brain health.

Since its inception in January 2015, the institute has helped enact sweeping improvements in California mental health policy, including securing $2 billion to provide housing and care for homeless people living with brain illness (No Place Like Home); promoting prevention and early intervention programs and research so that young people receive the care they need before their condition becomes disabling; expanding suicide prevention programs at public schools, as well as funding for college mental health services; advocating for sentencing reform and law enforcement training with the aim of decriminalizing brain illness; and educating elected officials and business leaders so that they embrace quality mental health care as a top-tier priority.