BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2279
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
2279 (Cooley)
As Amended August 15, 2016
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | 80-0 |(May 31, 2016) |SENATE: |39-0 |(August 17, |
| | | | | |2016) |
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Original Committee Reference: HEALTH
SUMMARY: Requires the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)
to annually compile county revenue and expenditure information
related to the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) based on the
existing Annual Mental Health Services Act Revenue and
Expenditure Report (Annual MHSA Report) and requires the
information compiled to be made available by DHCS to the Mental
Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission
(MHSOAC), and requires the Commission to make the information
publicly available online.
The Senate amendments
1)Require DHCS to develop and administer instructions for the
compilation of information for the Annual MHSA Report by
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counties, in consultation with the MHSOAC and the County
Behavioral Health Directors Association of California and
require the instructions to include county certification of
the accuracy of the report.
2)Require the Annual MHSA Report to be submitted electronically
to DHCS and to the MHSOAC and require DHCS to annually post
each county's report on its website in a timely manner.
3)Specify that the purpose of the Annual MHSA Report is to
identify the expenditures of MHSA funds that were distributed
to each county, quantify the amount of additional funds
generated for the mental health system, and determine
reversion amounts, if applicable, from prior fiscal year
distributions.
4)Specify that the intent of the Annual MHSA Report is to
provide information that allows for the evaluation of
children's systems of care, prevention and early intervention
strategies, innovative projects, workforce education and
training, adults and older adults systems of care, and capital
facilities and technology needs.
5)Require DHCS, no later than nine months after the end of each
fiscal year, based on the Annual MHSA Report, to collect and
publicly report, by county level, the total revenue received
from MHSA and the amount of MHSA funds received for each
individual components of the act, as specified. Require this
information to be reported for each fiscal year, include
statewide totals, and to be updated annually.
6)Permit counties to submit to DHCS information about programs
that address homelessness, criminal justice diversion or
related programs, suicide prevention, school-based mental
health programs designed to reduce school failure, employment
or other programs intended to reduce unemployment, and other
information as specified.
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7)Require DHCS to compile the information collected from
counties or other local mental health agencies to promote
public understanding of MHSA funds that are distributed
statewide and for each county, as well as how those funds are
spent and what funds remain available for expenditure.
8)Require DHCS to consolidate reporting requirements when
feasible and to propose to the appropriate policy committees
of the Legislature strategies to refine and consolidate
reporting requirements.
9)Require DHCS to make information related to the Annual MHSA
Report available on its internet website no later than July 1,
2018.
10)Permit DHCS to withhold MHSA funds from counties that do not
submit the Annual MHSA Report until the reports are submitted.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, ongoing costs of $240,000 per year to compile
information submitted by counties, create comparisons of
county-by-county expenditures, and develop the required reports
by DHCS.
COMMENTS: According to the author, counties are required to
report information to DHCS annually about local programs,
expenditure plans and how MHSA funds were spent. While some
counties make annual reports available to the public on their
own Web sites, currently there is no complete state-wide
financial picture of how much MHSA revenue is generated
annually. The author argues that the absence of a single
repository for this information makes it difficult for
taxpayers, mental health advocates, and consumers to see which
mental health programs are available and how MHSA funds are
spent county-by-county and state-wide. This information would
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make it easier for providers to identify best practices and for
consumers to compare services to identify programs that best
address their needs.
Proposition 63 was passed by voters in November 2004. The MHSA
imposes a 1% income tax on personal income in excess of $1
million and creates the 16 member Commission charged with
overseeing the implementation of MHSA. The 2015-16 Governor's
Budget projected that $1.776 billion would be deposited into the
Mental Health Services Fund in fiscal year (FY) 2015-16. The
MHSA addresses a broad continuum of prevention, early
intervention and service needs as well as provided funding for
infrastructure, technology and training needs for the community
mental health system. In addition to local programs, the MHSA
authorizes up to 5% of revenues for state administration. These
include administrative functions performed by a variety of state
entities such as the DHCS and Office of Statewide Health
Planning and Development (OSHPD). It also funds evaluation of
the MHSA by the Commission, which was established by the MHSA.
MHSA requires each county mental health department to prepare
and submit a three-year plan to DHCS that must be updated each
year and approved by DHCS after review and comment by the
Commission. In their three-year plans, counties are required to
include a list of all programs for which MHSA funding is being
requested and that identifies how the funds will be spent and
which populations will be served. Counties must submit their
plans for approval to the Commission before the counties may
spend certain categories of funding.
The most recently available MHSA Report discusses expenditures
for FY 2015-16 and is available on the DHCS website, but not on
the Commission Web site. The MHSA Report includes an
explanation of estimated revenues, general MHSA Fund
expenditures to counties in the aggregate and to OSHPD, and a
detailed summary of how the funds set aside for program
administration were allocated to 14 different state agencies and
departments.
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The National Association of Social Workers - California Chapter
supports this legislation because it will increase transparency
regarding how MHSA funds are spent. California Chapter of the
American College of Emergency Physicians states that without
adequate analysis of the effectiveness of MHSA programs, there
is no guarantee that people with mental illness are receiving
adequate treatment. County-by-county comparisons of MHSA
program would be an important step toward determining the most
effective programs and increasing access to mental health
services. The Steinberg Institute states, in support, that the
current lack of timely and accessible reporting does not align
with the principles set forth in Proposition 63.
There is no known opposition to this bill.
Analysis Prepared by:
Paula Villescaz / HEALTH / (916) 319-2097 FN:
0004164