BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 861
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Date of Hearing: May 13, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
861 (Maienschein) - As Amended April 30, 2015
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Urgency: Yes State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill, as proposed to be amended, requires Department of
Health Care Services (DHCS), in conjunction with, and contingent
on, an application for a specified federal demonstration grant,
to do the following: identify the unmet need for the covered
AB 861
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services; estimate the number of individuals who will need
housing assistance; and include a plan for counties to redirect
potential county savings for behavioral health services to
provide increased housing opportunities for individuals with
severe mental illnesses.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Minor and absorbable costs to DHCS to ensure a grant
application, if the department applies, meets the criteria.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, receiving the federal
demonstration project, for which planning funds are sought
through this bill, would nearly double federal funds to
support community mental health and alcohol and drug services,
with no additional state or county cost.
2)Background. Federal law authorizes the Protecting Access to
Medicare Act of 2014 (H.R. 4302) (Act) to establish an
eight-state demonstration project that creates criteria for
"Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics," facilities
designed to serve individuals with serious mental illnesses
and substance use disorders. The Act provides $25 million
that will be available to states as planning grants to develop
applications, and the National Conference of State
Legislatures indicates federal cost estimates for the actual
demonstration project are $600 million nationally over five
years. The Act also directs the secretary to award planning
grants to states for the development of demonstration
proposals by January 1, 2016, and to select states to
participate in the demonstration program by September 1, 2017.
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3)Related Legislation. AB 847 (Mullin), also on today's agenda,
requires DHCS to apply for a planning grant for the
demonstration project discussed above.
Analysis Prepared by:Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916)
319-2081