County Workforce Vacancies Persist as Board Adopts $164M Behavioral Health Plan

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors spent much of its June 16 session grappling with the human cost of unfilled jobs — from overworked deputies pulling mandatory overtime to social worker caseloads stretched thin by a 25% vacancy rate — before pivoting to adopt a new three-year behavioral health spending blueprint that eliminates local prevention funding for the first time. Across more than two hours of mandated public hearings, salary ordinances, and pointed questioning about unspent pediatric care dollars, the board signaled growing impatience with departments slow to hire and spend.

• County workforce vacancy rate inches down to 19%, but social workers, deputies, and probation staff remain critically understaffed above 20%

• Fire Department posts strongest hiring gains, dropping vacancies from 17% to 13% and fully staffing dispatch

• Board adopts first-ever BHSA behavioral health plan at $164M/year, losing prevention funding under new state law

• $11.5M in unspent Measure C pediatric funds roll forward as supervisors demand a work session on Children's Hospital spending

• Deputy sheriffs' union leader calls out mandatory overtime and urges tuition reimbursement and tech-layoff recruitment

• Reparations Commission to present findings June 30 as board proclaims Juneteenth and honors community leaders

The second annual public hearing required by AB 2561 — the state law mandating counties publicly report workforce vacancies — painted a picture of modest progress and deep structural challenges across Alameda County government.