Amended in Assembly March 30, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2017

Introduced by Assembly Member McCarty

February 16, 2016

An act to add Part 3.3 (commencing with Section 5832) to Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to mental health, and making an appropriation therefor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2017, as amended, McCarty. College Mental Health Services Program.

Existing law, the Mental Health Services Act, 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 provides that it may be amended by the Legislature by a 2⁄3 vote of each house as long as the amendment is consistent with and furthers the intent of the act.

The act establishes the Mental Health Services Fund, continuously appropriated to and administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, to fund specified county mental health programs, including prevention and early intervention programs and programs implemented under the Adult and Older Adult Mental Health System of Care Act. The act authorizes the payment of administrative costs of the state from the fund in an amount not greater than 5% of the annual total deposited in the fund and otherwise specifies the distribution of moneys in the fund.

This bill would establish the College Mental Health Services Trust begin delete Account and end delete begin insert Account, end insert would begin delete appropriate end delete begin insert transfer end insert an unspecified amount annually to that account from the Mental Health Services Fund, begin insert and would appropriate those funds end insert to begin delete be used by end delete the department to create a grant program for public community colleges, colleges, and universities to improve access to mental health services on campus, as specified. The bill would require campuses that have been awarded grants annually to report on the use of grant funds.

By changing the funding structure approved by the voters, this bill would amend the Mental Health Services Act. The bill would state the finding of the Legislature that the measure is consistent with and furthers the purposes of the Mental Health Services Act. begin insert The bill would make other finding and declarations. end insert

Vote: ²⁄₃. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

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

SECTION 1.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert The Legislature finds and declares that this
measure is consistent with and furthers the purposes of the Mental
Health Services Act within the meaning of Section 18 of that act.

begin insert

(b) Students, faculty, health practitioners, and college
administrators are reporting increased rates of mental health
needs by students attending public colleges in California.

end insert begin insert

(c) One in four students have a diagnosable mental illness and
40 percent of students do not seek mental health when they need
it.

end insert begin insert

(d) Eight out of 10 people who experience psychosis have their
first episode between 15 and 30 years of age.

end insert begin insert

(e) The demand for mental health services by public college
students far outpaces the ability of colleges to provide them.
California public college campuses and higher education systems
do not meet national staffing standards for psychiatric services
and other mental health professionals.

end insert begin insert

(f) The lack of services directly impacts college students’ success
and academic performance as well as their ability to develop
socially as productive members of society.

end insert begin insert

(g) The effects of untreated mental health needs are long lasting
and can include college students dropping out of school,
experiencing homelessness, and dying of suicide.

end insert begin insert

(h) One in 10 college students has considered suicide and
suicide is the second leading cause of death among college
students, claiming more than 1,100 lives every year nationally.

end insert begin insert

(i) Research shows that for each dollar invested in student
prevention and early intervention mental health services, California
will see a return of at least six dollars ($6) and up to eleven dollars
($11) as a result of more students graduating.

end insert

SEC. 2.  

Part 3.3 (commencing with Section 5832) is added to
Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

 

PART 3.3.  College Mental Health Services
Program

 

begin insert

begin insert 5832. end insert   

This part shall be known, and may be cited, as the
College Mental Health Services Program Act.

end insert

begin delete 5832. end delete

begin insert 5832.1. end insert   

(a) There is hereby established in the State Treasury
the College Mental Health Services Trust begin delete Account to be used by end delete
begin insert Account. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code,
moneys in the account are hereby continuously appropriated to end insert
the State Department of Health Care Services to fund the grant
program established pursuant to this part.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 5892 or any other law, ____ dollars
($____) shall be transferred from the Mental Health Services Fund
into the College Mental Health Services Trust Account annually.

begin delete 5832.1. end delete

begin insert 5832.2. end insert   

(a) The department, in consultation with the California
Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), shall create a grant
program for public community colleges, colleges, and universities
to improve access to mental health services begin delete on campus. end delete begin insert and early
identification or intervention programs. end insert The department and
CalMHSA shall establish guidelines for grant funding that shall
include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(1) The ability of the program to fund the matching component
required by subdivision (c).

(2) The ability of the campus, in partnership with the local
county, to establish direct linkages for students to community-based
mental health services for which the students’ health coverage
makes them eligible, ensuring provider reimbursement.

(3) The ability to participate in evidence-based begin insert and community
defined end insert best practice programs for mental health services
improvements.

(4) The ability of the campus to serve underserved and
vulnerable populations, including, but not limited to, lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, questioning, and allied (LGBTQA) persons,
victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse, and veterans.

(5) The ability of the campus to reduce racial disparities in
access to mental health services.

begin insert

(6) The ability of the campus to fund mental health stigma
reduction activities.

end insert begin insert

(7) The ability of the campus to provide employees and students
with education and training on early identification, intervention,
and referral of students with mental health needs.

end insert

(b) Grants may be awarded to a begin delete campus end delete begin insert community college
district end insert in the California Community College system, the California
State University system, or the University of California system.
The scale of the program shall determine the amount awarded, but
in no case shall the department award more than five million dollars
($5,000,000) per campus, per application.

(c) Grants shall only be awarded to a campus that can show a
dollar-for-dollar match of funds from the campus.

(d) The department and CalMHSA may provide technical
assistance to smaller colleges and counties in the application
process to ensure equitable distribution of the grant award.

begin delete 5832.2. end delete

begin insert 5832.3. end insert   

(a) Community colleges and campuses in the
California State University system that have been awarded grants
pursuant to this part shall report annually to the begin insert respective end insert
Chancellor’s Office and campuses in the University of California
system shall report annually to the University of California Office
of the President on the use of grant funds. This report shall include,
but not be limited to, all of the following:

(1) How grant funds and matching begin delete revenues end delete begin insert funds end insert are being
used.

(2) Available evaluation data, including outcomes of the campus
mental health programs funded pursuant to the grant program.

(3) Program information regarding services being offered and
the number of individuals being served.

(b) The Chancellor’s begin delete Office end delete begin insert offices end insert and the University of
California Office of the President shall forward the reports of the
campuses required pursuant to subdivision (a), at one time
annually, to the department, CalMHSA, and the Legislature for
evaluation of the grant program.