These two amazing bills working their way through the California Legislature.
Both designed to reform California’s Mental Health System!!
You’ll be voting on it in the March 5, 2024 Statewide Primary Election!
Here are excerpts from the Legislative Counsel’s Digest of what each Act would do, how it will become law, and when it will take effect:
SB 326, as amended, Eggman. The Behavioral Health Services Act.
- If approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election, the current Mental Health Services Act (MHSA by),enacted by voters in November, 2004 as Proposition 63, would be renamed the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), expanding it to include treatment of substance use disorders, changing the county planning process, and expanding services for which counties and the state can use funds.
- Revises the distribution MHSA funds, including allocating up to $36,000,000 to the department for behavioral health workforce funding.
- Authorize the department to require a county to implement specific evidence-based practices.
- Require change how counties submit claims for reimbursement.
- Rename the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission to the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission and change the composition and duties of the commission.
- Delete prior provisions relating to innovative programs and instead would require the counties to establish and administer a program to provide housing interventions. The bill would provide that “low rent housing project,” as defined, does not apply to a project that meets specified criteria.
- Make extensive technical and conforming changes, including standardized documentation, contracting standards for local mental health programs.
- Work hand-in-hand with AB531.
- Take effect immediately upon voter approval as an urgency statute.
To read the complete SB 326, click here.
AB 531, as amended, Irwin. The Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act.
- Provide that projects funded by the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2024 that provide housing for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness and who are inherently impacted by or at increased risk for medical diseases or conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other communicable diseases and are disbursed in accordance with the Multifamily Housing Program, or projects that are disbursed in accordance with the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program, are a use by right and subject to the streamlined, ministerial review process.
- Revise the approval process of specified projects and impose a state-mandated local program.
- Enact the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023 2024 which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,680,000,000 to finance loans or grants for the acquisition of capital assets for, and the construction and rehabilitation of, unlocked, voluntary, and community-based treatment settings and residential care settings and also for housing for veterans and others who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness and are living with a behavioral health challenge, permanent supportive housing for veterans and others who are homeless and meet specified criteria, and for grants for community-based treatment settings and residential care settings, as specified.
- Provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
To read the complete AB 531, click here.
* excerpts from Legiscan.com and Trackball.com.