BILL NUMBER: AB 710	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Yamada

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2009

   An act to add Section 703 to the Military and Veterans Code,
relating to military and veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 710, as introduced, Yamada. Veterans' Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Fund.
   Existing law provides benefits for state military veterans.
   This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to
submit a grant application to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for the purposes of funding
community-based organizations, certified by the department, to
provide substance abuse and mental health services to veterans.
   This bill would require that all grant money awarded to the
department by SAMHSA be deposited into the Veterans' Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Fund, a special fund the bill would
create, and from which moneys would be appropriated by the
Legislature to the department for purposes of funding community-based
organizations that provide substance abuse and mental health
programs that would benefit California veterans and to pay reasonable
administrative expenses.
   This bill would also require the department to develop a process
by which to certify community-based organizations that receive
funding, and require the department to establish criteria of success
for the purposes of determining renewal of funding to those
community-based organizations.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 703 is added to the Military and Veterans Code,
to read:
   703.  (a) The department shall submit a grant application to the
federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA) for the purposes of funding community-based organizations
certified by the department to provide substance abuse and mental
health services to veterans.
   (b) All grant money awarded to the department by SAMHSA, and any
interest earned thereon, shall be deposited into the Veterans'
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Fund, which is hereby
created as a special fund in the State Treasury. Moneys in the fund
shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be used by the
department for purposes of funding community-based organizations that
provide substance abuse and mental health programs that, in the
discretion of the secretary, would benefit California veterans and to
pay reasonable administrative expenses.
   (c) (1) The department shall determine how to allocate and
disburse funds in the Veterans' Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Fund to community-based organizations. The funds disbursed
shall be used only for the purposes of providing substance abuse and
mental health services to veterans, including, but not limited to,
the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.
   (2) The department shall develop a certification process by which
to certify community-based organizations that receive funding
pursuant to this section. The department is authorized to adopt
certification standards or conditions that may be required by SAMHSA.
Only community-based organizations certified by the department shall
be eligible for funding.
   (d) Community-based organizations that receive funds pursuant to
this section shall annually prepare a report on the programs and
services supported by those funds. The report shall be submitted to
the department for the purposes of determining renewal of funding to
a community-based organization, based upon criteria for measuring
success established by the department.