Bill Text: CA AB921 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 921 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Mental health: workforce.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Failed) 2024-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB921 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB921-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly March 16, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 921

Introduced by Assembly Member Bonta

February 14, 2023

An act to add Part 3.85 (commencing with Section 5848.10) to Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to mental health.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 921, as amended, Bonta. Mental health: workforce.

Existing law regulates the provision of programs and services relating to mental health and requires the creation of community programs to increase access to, and quality of, community-based mental health services. Existing law requires any program permitting mental health professions to respond to emergency mental health crisis calls in collaboration with law enforcement to ensure the program is supervised by a licensed mental health professional, including, among others, a licensed clinical social worker, except as specified.
This bill would require the Department of Health Care Access and Information to establish a mentorship program that will connect students enrolled in behavioral health programs with community-based organizations, as specified. The bill would require the department to coordinate a cost-of-living stipend that a student mentee may use for specific expenses. The bill would authorize a community-based organization to apply for the stipend and would require the community-based organization to distribute the stipend to its student mentees distinct from wages earned for work performed. This bill would require the department to offer an increased stipend to encourage bilingual students to participate in the program.
This bill would require an eligible student to enter into an agreement with a community-based organization to complete the mentorship program concurrent with their education and to work for the community-based organization after graduation, as specified. The bill would require a community-based organization to, among other things, formally mentor each student mentee and offer each student mentee permanent employment upon successful completion of their educational program.
Existing law establishes the State Department of State Hospitals within the California Health and Human Services Agency and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the administration of the state hospitals, including, but not limited to, the execution of laws relating to care and treatment of persons with mental health disorders under the custody of the department.
Existing law also establishes the Department of Health Care Access and Information, and requires that department to, in coordination with the California Behavioral Health Planning Council, develop a 5-year education and training development plan. Existing law requires the 5-year plan to include the establishment of regional partnerships between the mental health system and the educational system to, among other things, increase the diversity of the mental health workforce and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
~~This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation related to the mental health workforce.~~

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NOYES Local Program: NO

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

SECTION 1.

Part 3.85 (commencing with Section 5848.10) is added to Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

PART 3.85. Community-Based Mentorship Program
5848.10.
(a) The Department of Health Care Access and Information shall establish a mentorship program to connect eligible students with concrete resources and mentorship that will convert the educational experience to sustained employment.
(b) Under this mentorship program, the Department of Health Care Access and Information shall do all of the following:
(1) Establish minimum standards for the participation of community-based organizations in the program.
(2) Establish a process to inform eligible students, community-based organizations, and educational institutions of mentor needs and opportunities.
(3) Compensate a community-based organization’s mentorship expenses through a department grant based on the organization’s costs and the number of students it mentors.
(4) (A) Coordinate a cost-of-living stipend that a student mentee may use for education costs, housing costs, and living expenses.
(B) To encourage bilingual students to participate in this program, the Department of Health Care Access and Information shall offer an increased stipend for each eligible student who is fluent in a second language.
(c) As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Community-based organization” has the same meaning as defined in Section 651.5.
(2) (A) “Eligible student” means a student who is enrolled in a relevant undergraduate program or in a department-approved behavioral health certification program at a community college, college, university, or other approved entity.
(B) An eligible student may be at any stage of completion of their program, from initial acceptance through three months prior to graduation or certification.
(3) “Student mentee” means an eligible student who has entered into an agreement with a community-based organization pursuant to Section 5848.11.
5848.11.
After locating a community-based organization using the process created pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 5848.10, an eligible student shall enter into an agreement with the community-based organization to do both of the following:
(a) Complete the mentorship program with the community-based organization concurrent with their education.
(b) (1) Commit to working for the community-based organization for two years or 4,000 hours after graduation or certification, whichever is greater.
(2) If a community-based organization cannot maintain a student mentee’s postgraduation employment, the student mentee shall, with support from the Department of Health Care Access and Information, locate another community-based organization that provides behavioral health services with whom the student shall complete the remainder of their employment commitment.
5848.12.
(a) A community-based organization that participates in this program shall do all of the following:
(1) Formally mentor each student mentee.
(2) Coordinate with each student mentee’s educational institution.
(3) Provide each student mentee with temporary work appropriate to their experience and school demands.
(4) Translate and link each student mentee’s coursework to the community-based organization’s programs and practices.
(5) Provide each student mentee with emotional and practical support.
(6) Offer each student mentee permanent employment upon successful completion of their educational program.
(b) (1) A community-based organization may apply for the cost-of-living stipend described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 5848.10.
(2) If a community-based organization applies for and receives stipend moneys pursuant to paragraph (1), the community-based organization shall distribute those moneys to its student mentees, distinct from wages earned for work performed, while the student mentees are enrolled in their educational programs.