BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2034
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 2034 (Steinberg)
As Amended August 25, 2000
2/3 vote. Urgency
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|ASSEMBLY: |69-7 |(May 31, 2000) |SENATE: |33-2 |(August 28, |
| | | | | |2000) |
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Original Committee Reference: HEALTH
SUMMARY : Deems counties funded in 2000-2001 for mental health
outreach services to be eligible for continuation funding if
they have successfully demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of
their programs. Deems other counties, and cities with
independent public mental health programs, to be eligible for
funding to establish outreach services. Adds youth under age 25
and families living with a severely mentally ill adult to the
target population for these services. Specifically, this bill :
1)Adds youth under age 25, and families with a severely mentally
ill adult living with them, to the population targeted in
outreach programs to homeless mentally ill persons.
2)Includes provision of psychiatric services that are integrated
with other services and for psychiatric collaboration in
overall service planning.
3)Requires the Department of Social Services, a service provider
to transition youth, the United Advocates for Children of
California, and the California Mental Health Advocates for
Children and Youth to be represented on the existing advisory
board to the Director of the Department of Mental Health for
the purpose of providing advice regarding criteria for grant
awards to counties.
4)Adds to the criteria for grant awards, a description of
efforts to maximize use of other state, federal and local
funds, and a description of efforts to obtain charitable
funds.
5)Permits, in any year in which funds are appropriated for this
purpose through the annual Budget Act, additional funding to
AB 2034
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be made available for other counties that do not have an
integrated services program but meet adult system of care
criteria.
6)Requires grants to counties to be used to expand existing
integrated service programs that meet the adult system of care
criteria to provide new services.
7)Requires each county to identify, as the Department of Mental
Health (DMH) may require, the amount of funding required for
housing market conditions, the estimated number of people who
will be eligible for income from Social Security, and types of
housing and support services that will be required.
8)Requires DMH to conduct a literature review of mental health
public education programs, as specified, and requires DMH to
make recommendations to the Legislature as to whether such a
program should be implemented in California.
9)Declares the provisions of this bill to be an urgency measure.
The Senate amendments :
) Add cities with independent public mental health programs to
the provisions of this bill that apply to counties.
2)Clarify that many requirements and program expansions provided
for in this bill are contingent upon funding being provided in
the annual Budget Act.
3)Remove requirements for a review of research on mental health
education program.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires counties to relieve and support incompetent, indigent
persons, and those incapacitated by age or disease.
Establishes a target population for county mental health
services that includes severely mentally ill adults and
children with emotional disturbances.
2)Requires DMH to establish service standards for mental health
services provided through demonstration projects to serve the
mentally ill.
AB 2034
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AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill deemed counties to be
eligible for continuation funding for mental health outreach if
they successfully demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of their
programs. Deemed other counties to be eligible for funding to
establish outreach services if a county demonstrates that it can
provide comprehensive services, as specified.
FISCAL EFFECT : Implementation of programs in this bill is
contingent upon the Budget Act.
COMMENTS : The author is proposing this bill to continue and
expand upon the successful community mental health programs
established under AB 34 (Steinberg), Chapter 617, Statutes of
1999. Through county programs in Sacramento, Los Angeles and
Stanislaus counties, as of February 1, 2000, more than 900
severely mentally ill people have received services and are on
their way to stabilization.
Chapter 617 provides funding for mental health outreach
demonstration projects in Los Angeles ($4.8 million), Stanislaus
($2.8 million) and Sacramento ($1.9 million) counties. In
Sacramento County, outreach teams go to parks, levees and other
places to find homeless persons to whom they can offer services.
Sacramento County has enrolled 196 people in mental health
services as a result of this program. In Stanislaus, 88 people
are being served by programs funded through Chapter 617.
According to the author, Stanislaus is working to serve adults
who are periodically homeless, and young adults who are
transitioning from foster care and the juvenile justice system.
Los Angeles County is serving 790 people through programs funded
with Chapter 617 demonstration dollars.
Analysis Prepared by : Ann Blackwood / HEALTH / (916) 319-2097
FN:
0006792