BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
JEFF DENHAM, CHAIRMAN
Bill No: AB 1571
Author: Assembly Veterans' Affairs Committee
Version: As amended June 18, 2009
Hearing Date: June 23, 2009
Fiscal: Yes
Consultant: Donald E. Wilson
SUBJECT OF BILL
Mental health plans and veterans
PROPOSED LAW
1. Includes "veterans and representatives from veterans
organizations" as potential representatives in stakeholder
meetings for county mental health plans.
2. Includes veterans in the definition of those served by
county plans.
3. Requires the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to inform
the California Department of Veterans' Affairs (CDVA) of
county plans that contain outreach and services for
veterans.'
EXISTING LAW AND BACKGROUND
1. At the close of the Vietnam War, Post Traumatic
Stress Syndrome (PTSD) was not recognized as a service
connected disability.
2. PTSD was not diagnosed in large numbers until the
early 1980s, which by that time the window to enter
the VA system had closed for most veterans of the
Vietnam War.
3. The result was that a significant number of Vietnam
veterans were on the street and untreated by county
mental health officials.
4. Over the years there has been some misunderstanding
between the mental health and veterans communities.
In 2006, the Assembly and Senate Veterans' Affairs
Committee staff met with representatives of the mental
health industry.
5. Mental health workers were unaware of the two-year
window that Vietnam Veterans had not met due to a
diagnosis that took place ten years late.
6. It was explained to the veterans' community that no
one would be turned away due to veteran status, but
rather that a veteran may fit in a category in which
all people with that ailment were turned away due to
lack of county funds.
7. Counties have a priority list of severe ailments.
If a county has 40 priorities but only enough money is
obtained to fund the top ten priorities, then if
anyone -veteran or not-seeks treatment for the
thirteenth priority ailment that person may not be
treated.
8. County mental health plans are established by
stakeholder meetings where the community's priorities
are established.
9. The State Department of Mental Health is then
responsible for approving county plans.
COMMENT
1. The main hurdle California has in relation to its
veterans is its inability to locate and communicate
with them. This bill helps CDVA know what services
are provided in various counties by requiring DMH to
notify CDVA as to which counties have a veterans'
component in their county mental health plans.
2. This bill has taken substantive amendments since it
arrived from the Assembly.
3. There is one sticking point left according to
opponents of the bill. In proposed Welfare and
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Institutions Code 5847 the phrase "including veterans"
has been added in four locations after "children,
adults". Opponents say that, while the intent of this
bill language is to identify the number of veterans
served, attempting to do so in this fashion will
create administrative costs without resulting in
accurate or meaningful information about veterans.
Opponents agree that better data about veterans is
sorely needed on a statewide basis, and have
communicated to the author a desire to work with
relevant state and community based organizations on
how best to meet that shared goal.
SUPPORT
None received
OPPOSE
California State Association of Counties (Unless amended)
California Mental Health Directors Association (Unless
amended)
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