BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 1770
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 9, 2000

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                              Carole Migden, Chairwoman

                   SB 1770 (Chesbro) - As Amended:  August 7, 2000 

          Policy Committee:                             HealthVote:12-3

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to  
          establish empowerment programs for mental health clients and  
          their families.  Specifically, this bill: 

          1)Requires DMH to issue a Request for Proposal by September 1 of  
            any year in which funds are provided in the annual Budget Act  
            for this purpose.

          2)Specifies the selection process and criteria DMH must use in  
            deciding grantees, as well as entities eligible to submit  
            proposals.

          3)Requires DMH to develop a process for grantees to submit  
            reports on their programs.  Requires DMH to submit a report to  
            the Legislature by April 1 of any year in which programs are  
            funded.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Unknown costs, likely over $1 million annually, for DMH to  
          establish and administer the grant program.  In the budget for  
          FY 2000-01, the Legislature included a $4.9 million augmentation  
          to be used for Client and Family Empowerment Challenge Grants,  
          using federal substance abuse funds.  However, the governor  
          vetoed the augmentation because he felt it would create an  
          expectation of establishing a new statewide, state-funded  
          program.

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  .  This bill is intended to help mental health consumers  








                                                                  SB 1770
                                                                  Page  2

          and their families become more involved in the mental health  
          system by establishing empowerment programs.  These programs  
          would offer such services as self-help skills, peer counseling,  
          support programs, and support for consumers and family members  
          to participate on policy development and oversight boards.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Joyce Iseri / APPR. / (916) 319-2081