Bill Text: CA AB2266 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 2266 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Mental Health Services Act: use of funds for substance use disorder treatment.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-24 - Referred to Com. on HEALTH. [AB2266 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB2266-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2266

Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk-Silva
(Coauthor: Senator Beall)

February 14, 2020

An act to add and repeal Section 5891.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to mental health, and making an appropriation therefor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2266, as introduced, Quirk-Silva. Mental Health Services Act: use of funds for substance use disorder treatment.

Existing law, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), an initiative measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, funds a system of county mental health plans for the provision of mental health services, as specified. The act establishes the Mental Health Services Fund, which is continuously appropriated to, and administered by, the State Department of Health Care Services to fund specified county mental health programs.

This bill would require the department to establish a pilot program in up to 10 counties, as specified, and would authorize funding from the MHSA, commencing January 1, 2022, and continuing until January 1, 2027, to be used by participating counties to treat a person with cooccurring mental health and substance use disorders when the person would be eligible for treatment of the mental health disorder pursuant to the MHSA. The bill would also authorize participating counties during the specified time period to use MHSA funds to assess whether a person has cooccurring mental health and substance use disorders and to treat a person who is preliminarily assessed to have cooccurring mental health and substance use disorders, even when the person is later determined not to be eligible for services provided with MHSA funds. The bill would require a person being treated for cooccurring mental health and substance use disorders who is determined to not need the mental health services that are eligible for funding pursuant to the act, to be, as quickly as possible, referred to substance use disorder treatment services. By authorizing the use of continuously appropriated funds for a new purpose, this bill would make an appropriation.

This bill would require the department to submit a progress report to the Legislature on the efficacy of the pilot program on or before July 1, 2023, and to submit a final report to the Legislature on the efficacy of the pilot program not later than July 1, 2027.

Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: YES Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 5891.5 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

5891.5.

(a) The department shall establish a pilot program to implement the provisions of subdivisions (b) and (c) in up to 10 counties, including the Counties of Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Orange, Sonoma, and Ventura. Counties that are chosen by the department for the program shall opt in by amending the county’s three-year plan as required in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).

(b) (1) Commencing January 1, 2022, and continuing until January 1, 2027, in participating counties, funding established pursuant to this act may be used to treat a person with cooccurring mental health and substance use disorders when the person would be eligible for treatment of the mental health disorder pursuant to this act.

(2) Treatment of cooccurring mental health and substance use disorders shall be identified in a county’s three-year program and expenditure plan or Annual update, as required by Section 5847.

(c) (1) When a person being treated for cooccurring mental health and substance use disorders pursuant to subdivision (a) is determined to not need the mental health services that are eligible for funding pursuant to the act, the county shall, as quickly as possible, refer the person receiving treatment to substance use disorder treatment services.

(2) Funding established pursuant to this act may be used by participating counties to assess whether a person has cooccurring mental health and substance use disorders and to treat a person who is preliminarily assessed to have cooccurring mental health and substance use disorders, even when the person is later determined not to be eligible for services provided with funding established pursuant to this act.

(d) The department shall submit a progress report to the Legislature on the efficacy of the pilot program on or before July 1, 2023, and shall submit a final report to the Legislature on the efficacy of the pilot program on or before July 1, 2027. The reports required by this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2028, and as of that date is repealed.