citation: WIC § 5806

text:
The State Department of Health Care Services shall establish service standards that ensure that members of the target population are identified, and services provided to assist them to live independently, work, and reach their potential as productive citizens. The department shall provide annual oversight of grants issued pursuant to this part for compliance with these standards. These standards shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(a) A service planning and delivery process that is target population based and includes the following:

(1) Determination of the numbers of clients to be served and the programs and services that will be provided to meet their needs. The local director of mental health shall consult with the sheriff, the police chief, the probation officer, the mental health board, contract agencies, and family, client, ethnic, and citizen constituency groups as determined by the director.

(2) Plans for services, including outreach to families who have an adult child experiencing a serious mental health condition living with them, design of mental health services, coordination and access to medications, psychiatric and psychological services, substance use disorder services, supportive housing or other housing assistance, vocational rehabilitation, and veterans’ services. Plans also shall contain evaluation strategies that shall consider cultural, linguistic, gender, age, and special needs of minorities in the target populations. Provision shall be made for a workforce with the cultural background and linguistic skills necessary to remove barriers to mental health services due to limited-English-speaking ability and cultural differences. Recipients of outreach services may include families, the public, primary care physicians, and others who are likely to come into contact with individuals who may be experiencing an untreated severe mental illness who would be likely to become homeless if the illness continued to be untreated for a substantial period of time. Outreach to adults may include adults voluntarily or involuntarily hospitalized as a result of a severe mental illness.

(3) Provision for services to meet the needs of target population clients who are physically disabled.

(4) Provision for services to meet the special needs of older adults.

(5) Provision for family support and consultation services, parenting support and consultation services, and peer support or self-help group support, where appropriate for the individual.

(6) Provision for services to be client-directed and that employ psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery principles.

(7) Provision for psychiatric and psychological services that are integrated with other services and for psychiatric and psychological collaboration in overall service planning.

(8) Provision for services specifically directed to young adults 25 years of age or younger who have a serious mental illness and are homeless or at significant risk of becoming homeless. These provisions may include continuation of services that still would be received through other funds had eligibility not been terminated due to age.

(9) Services reflecting special needs of women from diverse cultural backgrounds, including supportive housing that accepts children, personal services coordinator therapeutic treatment, and substance treatment programs that address gender-specific trauma and abuse in the lives of persons with mental illness, and vocational rehabilitation programs that offer job training programs free of gender bias and sensitive to the needs of women.

(10) Provision for housing for clients that is immediate, transitional, permanent, or all of these.

(11) Provision for clients who have been experiencing an untreated severe mental illness for less than one year, and who do not require the full range of services but are at risk of becoming homeless unless a comprehensive individual and family support services plan is implemented. These clients shall be served in a manner that is designed to meet their needs.

(12) Provision for services for veterans.

(b) A client shall have a clearly designated mental health personal services coordinator who may be part of a multidisciplinary treatment team who is responsible for providing or ensuring needed services. Responsibilities include complete assessment of the client’s needs, development of the client’s personal services plan, linkage with all appropriate community services, monitoring of the quality and followthrough of services, and necessary advocacy to ensure that the client receives those services that are agreed to in the personal services plan. A client shall participate in the development of their personal services plan, and responsible staff shall consult with the designated conservator, if one has been appointed, and, with the consent of the client, consult with the family and other significant persons as appropriate.

(c) The individual personal services plan shall ensure that members of the target population involved in the system of care receive age-appropriate, gender-appropriate, and culturally appropriate services or appropriate services based on any characteristic listed or defined in Section 11135 of the Government Code, to the extent feasible, that are designed to enable recipients to:

(1) Live in the most independent, least restrictive housing feasible in the local community, and for clients with children, to live in a supportive housing environment that strives for reunification with their children or assists clients in maintaining custody of their children as is appropriate.

(2) Engage in the highest level of work or productive activity appropriate to their abilities and experience.

(3) Create and maintain a support system consisting of friends, family, and participation in community activities.

(4) Access an appropriate level of academic education or vocational training.

(5) Obtain an adequate income.

(6) Self-manage their illness and exert as much control as possible over both the day-to-day and long-term decisions that affect their lives.

(7) Access necessary physical health care and maintain the best possible physical health.

(8) Reduce or eliminate serious antisocial or criminal behavior and thereby reduce or eliminate their contact with the criminal justice system.

(9) Reduce or eliminate the distress caused by the symptoms of mental illness.

(10) Have freedom from dangerous addictive substances.

(d) The individual personal services plan shall describe the service array that meets the requirements of subdivision (c) and, to the extent applicable to the individual, the requirements of subdivision (a).

(e) If amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election, this section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2026, and as of January 1, 2027, is repealed.

history: (History: Amended (as amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 37) by Stats. 2024, Ch. 948, Sec. 44.5. (AB 2119) Effective January 1, 2025. Inoperative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, by its own provisions. See later operative version, as amended by Sec. 45 of Stats. 2024, Ch. 948.)


kind: section

code: WIC

text:
(a) The State Department of Health Care Services shall establish service standards so that adults and older adults in the target population are identified and receive needed and appropriate services from qualified staff in the least restrictive environment to assist them to live independently, work, and thrive in their communities. This section shall not apply to services covered by the Medi-Cal program and services covered by a health care service plan or other insurance coverage. These standards shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) For services funded pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 5892, the county may consult with the stakeholders listed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 5963.03.

(2) (A) Outreach to adults with a serious mental illness or a substance use disorder to provide coordination and access to behavioral health services, medications, housing interventions pursuant to Section 5830, supportive services, as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 5887, and veterans’ services.

(B) Service planning shall include evaluation strategies that consider cultural, linguistic, gender, age, and special needs of the target populations.

(C) Provision shall be made for a workforce with the cultural background and linguistic skills necessary to remove barriers to mental health services and substance use disorder treatment services due to limited-English-speaking ability and cultural differences.

(D) Recipients of outreach services may include families, the public, primary care physicians, hospitals, including emergency departments, behavioral health urgent care, and others who are likely to come into contact with individuals who may be experiencing either an untreated serious mental illness or substance use disorder, or both, who would likely become homeless or incarcerated if the illness continued to be untreated for a substantial period of time.

(E) Outreach to adults may include adults voluntarily or involuntarily hospitalized as a result of a serious mental illness.

(3) Provision for services for populations with identified disparities in behavioral health outcomes.

(4) Provision for full participation of the family in all aspects of assessment, service planning, and treatment, including, but not limited to, family support and consultation services, parenting support and consultation services, and peer support or self-help group support, where appropriate and when supported by the individual.

(5) Treatment for clients who have been experiencing an untreated serious mental illness or substance use disorder, or both, for less than one year and who do not require the full range of services but are at risk of becoming homeless or incarcerated unless comprehensive individual and family support services are provided consistent with the planning process specified in subdivision (d). This includes services that are available and designed to meet their needs, including housing for clients that is immediate, transitional, permanent, or all of these services.

(6) (A) Provision for services to be client-directed and to employ psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery principles.

(B) Services may be integrated with other services and may include psychiatric and psychological collaboration in overall service planning.

(7) Provision for services specifically directed to young adults 25 years of age or younger with either a serious mental illness or substance use disorder, or both, who are chronically homeless, experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness, as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 5892, or experiencing first episode psychosis. These provisions may include continuation of services that still would be received through other funds had eligibility not been terminated due to age.

(8) Provision for services for frequent users of behavioral health urgent care, crisis stabilization units, and hospitals or emergency room services as the primary resource for mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

(9) Provision for services to meet the special needs of clients who are physically disabled, clients who are intellectually or developmentally disabled, veterans, or persons of American Indian or Alaska Native descent.

(10) Provision for services to meet the special needs of women from diverse cultural backgrounds, including supportive housing that accepts children and youth, personal services coordinators, therapeutic treatment, and substance use disorder treatment programs that address gender-specific trauma and abuse in the lives of persons with either a serious mental illness or a substance use disorder, or both, and vocational rehabilitation programs that offer job training programs free of gender bias and sensitive to the needs of women.

(b) Each adult or older adult shall have a clearly designated personal services coordinator, or case manager who may be part of a multidisciplinary treatment team who is responsible for providing case management services. The personal services coordinator may be a person or entity formally designated as primarily responsible for coordinating the services accessed by the client. The client shall be provided information on how to contact their designated person or entity.

(c) A personal services coordinator shall perform all of the following:

(1) Conduct a comprehensive assessment and periodic reassessment of a client’s needs. The assessment shall include all of the following:

(A) Taking the client’s history.

(B) Identifying the individual’s needs, including reviewing available records and gathering information from other sources, including behavioral health service providers, medical providers, family members, social workers, and others needed to form a complete assessment.

(C) Assessing the client’s living arrangements, employment status, and training needs.

(2) Plan for services using information collected through the assessment. The planning process shall do all of the following:

(A) Identify the client’s goals and the behavioral health, supportive, medical, educational, social, prevocational, vocational, rehabilitative, housing, or other community services needed to assist the client to reach their goals.

(B) Include active participation of the client and others in the development of the client’s goals.

(C) Identify a course of action to address the client’s needs.

(D) Address the transition of care when a client has achieved their goals.

(3) Assist the client in accessing needed behavioral health, supportive, medical, educational, social, prevocational, vocational, rehabilitative, housing, or other community services.

(4) Coordinate the services the county furnishes to the client between settings of care, including appropriate discharge planning for short-term hospital and institutional stays.

(5) Coordinate the services the county furnishes to the client with the services the client receives from managed care organizations, the Medicaid fee-for-service delivery system, other human services agencies, and community and social support providers.

(6) Ensure that, in the course of coordinating care, the client’s privacy is protected in accordance with all federal and state privacy laws.

(d) The county shall ensure that each provider furnishing services to clients maintains and shares, as appropriate, client health records in accordance with professional standards.

(e) The service planning process shall ensure that adults and older adults receive age-appropriate, gender-appropriate, and culturally appropriate services, or appropriate services based on a characteristic listed or defined in Section 11135 of the Government Code, to the extent feasible, that are designed to enable recipients to:

(1) (A) Live in the most independent, least restrictive housing feasible in the local community and for clients with children and youth, to live in a supportive housing environment that strives for reunification with their children and youth or assists clients in maintaining custody of their children and youth, as appropriate.

(B) Assist individuals to rejoin or return to a home that had previously been maintained with a family member or in a shared housing environment that is supportive of their recovery and stabilization.

(2) Engage in the highest level of work or productive activity appropriate to their abilities and experience.

(3) Create and maintain a support system consisting of friends, family, and participation in community activities.

(4) Access an appropriate level of academic education or vocational training.

(5) Obtain an adequate income.

(6) Self-manage their illness and exert as much control as possible over both the day-to-day and long-term decisions that affect their lives.

(7) Access necessary physical health care and maintain the best possible physical health.

(8) Reduce or eliminate serious antisocial or criminal behavior and thereby reduce or eliminate their contact with the justice system.

(9) Reduce or eliminate the distress caused by the symptoms of either serious mental illness or substance use disorder, or both.

(10) Utilize trauma-informed approaches to reduce trauma and avoid retraumatization.

(f) (1) (A) The client’s clinical record shall describe the service array that meets the requirements of subdivisions (c) and (e) and, to the extent applicable to the individual, the requirements of subdivisions (a) and (b).

(B) The State Department of Health Care Services may develop and revise documentation standards for service planning to be consistent with the standards developed pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (h) of Section 14184.402.

(2) Documentation of the service planning process in the client’s clinical record pursuant to paragraph (1) may fulfill the documentation requirements for both the Medi-Cal program and this section.

(g) For purposes of this section, “behavioral health services” shall have the meaning as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 5892.

(h) For purposes of this section, “substance use disorder” shall have the meaning as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 5891.5.

(i) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2026, if amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election.

history: (History: Amended (as added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 38) by Stats. 2024, Ch. 948, Sec. 45. (AB 2119) Effective January 1, 2025. Operative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)

division: 5. COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

chapter: 4. Operation and Administration

path: 5. COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES > 4. Operation and Administration > 3. ADULT AND OLDER ADULT MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM OF CARE ACT > 2. Establishing New County Systems of Care


citation: WIC § 5807

text:
(a) The State Department of Health Care Services shall require counties which receive funding to develop interagency collaboration with shared responsibilities for services under this part and achievement of the client and cost outcome goals and interagency collaboration goals specified.

(b) Collaborative activities shall include:

(1) Identification of those agencies that have a significant joint responsibility for the target population and ensuring collaboration on planning for services to that population.

(2) Identification of gaps in services to members of the target population, development of policies to assure service effectiveness and continuity, and setting priorities for interagency services.

(3) Implementation of public and private collaborative programs whenever possible to better serve the target population.

(4) Provision of interagency case management services to coordinate resources to target population members who are using the services of more than one agency.

(5) Coordination with federal agencies responsible for providing veterans’ services, as well as national, state, and local nonprofit organizations that provide veterans’ services, to maximize the integration of services and to eliminate duplicative efforts.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 34, Sec. 190. (SB 1009) Effective June 27, 2012.)

part: 3. ADULT AND OLDER ADULT MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM OF CARE ACT

article: 2. Establishing New County Systems of Care


citation: WIC § 5808

text: In order to reduce the state and county cost of a mental health system of care, participating counties shall collect reimbursement for services from clients which shall be the same as patient fees established pursuant to Section 5710, fees paid by private or public third-party payers, federal financial participation for Medicaid or Medicare services or veterans’ services, and other financial sources when available.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 591, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2009.)


citation: WIC § 5809

text:
The State Department of Health Care Services shall continue to work with participating counties and other interested parties to refine and establish client and cost outcome and interagency collaboration goals including the expected level of attainment with participating system of care counties. These outcome measures should include specific objectives addressing the following goals:

(a) Client benefit outcomes.

(b) Client and family member satisfaction.

(c) System of care access.

(d) Cost savings, cost avoidance, and cost-effectiveness outcomes that measure short-term or long-term cost savings and cost avoidance achieved in public sector expenditures to the target population.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 34, Sec. 191. (SB 1009) Effective June 27, 2012.)


citation: WIC § 5813

text: County participation under this part shall be voluntary.

history: (History: Repealed and added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 153, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1997.)

article: 4. Financial Participation

path: 5. COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES > 4. Operation and Administration > 3. ADULT AND OLDER ADULT MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM OF CARE ACT > 4. Financial Participation


text:
Subject to the availability of funds from the Behavioral Health Services Fund, the state shall distribute funds for the provision of services under Sections 5801, 5802, and 5806 to county mental health programs. Services shall be available to adults and seniors with severe illnesses who meet the eligibility criteria in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 5600.3. For purposes of this act, “seniors” means older adult persons identified in Part 3 (commencing with Section 5800) of this division.

(a) Funding shall be provided at sufficient levels to ensure that counties can provide each adult and senior served pursuant to this part with the medically necessary mental health services, medications, and supportive services set forth in the applicable treatment plan.

(b) The funding shall only cover the portions of those costs of services that cannot be paid for with other funds, including other mental health funds, public and private insurance, and other local, state, and federal funds.

(c) Each county mental health program’s plan shall provide for services in accordance with the system of care for adults and seniors who meet the eligibility criteria in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 5600.3.

(d) Planning for services shall be consistent with the philosophy, principles, and practices of the Recovery Vision for mental health consumers:

(1) To promote concepts key to the recovery for individuals who have mental illness: hope, personal empowerment, respect, social connections, self-responsibility, and self-determination.

(2) To promote consumer-operated services as a way to support recovery.

(3) To reflect the cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity of mental health consumers.

(4) To plan for each consumer’s individual needs.

(e) The plan for each county mental health program shall indicate, subject to the availability of funds as determined by Part 4.5 (commencing with Section 5890) of this division, and other funds available for mental health services, adults and seniors with a severe mental illness being served by this program are either receiving services from this program or have a mental illness that is not sufficiently severe to require the level of services required of this program.

(f) Each county plan and annual update pursuant to Section 5847 shall consider ways to provide services similar to those established pursuant to the Mentally Ill Offender Crime Reduction Grant Program. Funds shall not be used to pay for persons incarcerated in state prison. Funds may be used to provide services to persons who are participating in a presentencing or postsentencing diversion program or who are on parole, probation, postrelease community supervision, or mandatory supervision. When included in county plans pursuant to Section 5847, funds may be used for the provision of mental health services under Sections 5347 and 5348 in counties that elect to participate in the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Demonstration Project Act of 2002 (Article 9 (commencing with Section 5345) of Chapter 2 of Part 1), and for the provision of services to clients pursuant to Part 8 (commencing with Section 5970).

(g) The department shall contract for services with county mental health programs pursuant to Section 5897. After November 2, 2004, the term “grants,” as used in Sections 5814 and 5814.5, shall refer to those contracts.

(h) If amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election, this section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2026, and as of January 1, 2027, is repealed.

history: (History: Amended (as amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 39) by Stats. 2024, Ch. 40, Sec. 38. (SB 159) Effective June 29, 2024. Operative January 1, 2025, pursuant to Sec. 85 of Stats. 2024, Ch. 40. Inoperative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, by its own provisions. See later operative version added by Sec. 40 of Stats. 2023, Ch. 790.)

article: 4. Financial Participation


text:
(a) Counties shall use funds distributed pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 5891 for the provision of behavioral health services under Sections 5801, 5802, 5806, and 5891.5 to county behavioral health programs. This part does not obligate the counties to use funds from any other source for services pursuant to this part.

(b) Services shall be available to eligible adults and older adults, as defined in Section 5892.

(c) Funding shall be provided at sufficient levels to ensure counties can provide each adult and older adult served pursuant to this part with the medically necessary mental health and substance use disorder treatment services and medications identified during the service planning process pursuant to Section 5806, which are in the applicable client clinical record.

(1) To maximize federal financial participation in furtherance of subdivision (d) of Section 5890, a county shall submit claims for reimbursement to the State Department of Health Care Services in accordance with applicable Medi-Cal rules and procedures for a behavioral health service or supportive service eligible for reimbursement pursuant to Title XIX or XXI of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396, et seq. and 1397aa, et seq.) when such service is paid, in whole or in part, using funds from the Behavioral Health Services Fund established pursuant to Section 5890.

(2) (A) To maximize funding from other sources, a county shall seek reimbursement for a behavioral health service, supportive service, housing intervention, or other related activity provided pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 5892 that is covered by or can be paid from another available funding source, including other mental health funds, substance use disorder funds, public and private insurance, and other local, state, and federal funds. This paragraph does not require counties to exhaust other funding sources before using behavioral health services fund moneys to pay for a service or related activity.

(B) A county shall make a good faith effort to enter into contracts, single case agreements, or other agreements to obtain reimbursement with health care service plans and disability insurance plans, pursuant to Section 1374.72 of the Health and Safety Code and Section 10144.5 of the Insurance Code.

(C) A county shall submit requests for prior authorization for services, request letters of agreement for payment as an out-of-network provider, and pursue other means to obtain reimbursement in accordance with state and federal laws.

(3) (A) A county may report to the Department of Managed Health Care or the Department of Insurance, as appropriate, complaints about a health plan’s or a health insurer’s failure to make a good faith effort to contract or enter into a single case agreement or other agreements to obtain reimbursement with the county.

(B) A county may also report to the Department of Managed Health Care or the Department of Insurance, respectively, a failure by a health plan or insurer to timely reimburse the county for services the plan or insurer must cover as required by state or federal law, including, but not limited to, Sections 1374.72 and 1374.721 of the Health and Safety Code and Sections 10144.5 and 10144.52 of the Insurance Code.

(C) Upon receipt of a complaint from a county, the Department of Managed Health Care or the Department of Insurance, as applicable, shall timely investigate the complaint.

(d) Each county behavioral health program’s integrated plan pursuant to Section 5963.02 shall provide for services to eligible adults and older adults, as defined in Section 5892, in accordance with the system of care for adults and older adults.

(e) Planning for services shall be consistent with the philosophy, principles, and practices of the Recovery Vision for behavioral health consumers:

(1) To promote concepts key to the recovery for individuals who have a mental illness or substance use disorder, or both: hope, personal empowerment, respect, social connections, self-responsibility, and self-determination.

(2) To promote consumer-operated services as a way to support recovery.

(3) To reflect the cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity of behavioral health consumers by addressing the inequities in behavioral health service delivery.

(4) To plan for each consumer’s individual needs.

(f) The integrated plan for each county pursuant to Section 5963.02 shall indicate, subject to the availability of funds as determined by Part 4.5 (commencing with Section 5890) and other funds available for behavioral health services as defined in Section 5892, that eligible adults and older adults, as defined in Section 5892, being served by this program are either receiving services from this program or have a mental illness or substance use disorder that is not sufficiently severe to require the level of services required of this program.

(g) (1) Each county integrated plan and annual update pursuant to Section 5963.02 shall consider ways to provide mental health services similar to those established pursuant to the Mentally Ill Offender Crime Reduction Grant Program.

(2) Funds shall not be used to pay for persons incarcerated in state prison.

(3) Funds may be used to provide services to persons who are participating in a presentencing or postsentencing diversion program or who are on parole, probation, postrelease community supervision, or mandatory supervision or in a community reentry program.

(4) When included in county integrated plans pursuant to Section 5963.02, funds may be used for the provision of mental health services under Sections 5347 and 5348 in counties that elect to participate in the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Demonstration Project Act of 2002 (Article 9 (commencing with Section 5345) of Chapter 2 of Part 1) and for the provision of services to clients pursuant to Part 8 (commencing with Section 5970).

(h) (1) The department shall contract for services with county behavioral health programs pursuant to Section 5897.

(2) After November 2, 2004, the term “grants,” as used in Sections 5814 and 5814.5, shall refer to those contracts.

(i) For purposes of this section, “behavioral health services” shall have the meaning as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 5892.

(j) For purposes of this section, “substance use disorder” shall have the meaning as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 5891.5.

(k) For purposes of this section, “substance use disorder treatment services” shall have the meaning as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 5891.5.

(l) For purposes of this section, “supportive services” shall have the meaning as defined in subdivision (h) of Section 5887.

(m) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2026, if amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election.

history: (History: Repealed (in Sec. 39) and added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 40. (SB 326) Effective April 17, 2024. Approved in Proposition 1 at the March 5, 2024, election. Operative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)

article: 4. Financial Participation


text:
(a) (1) By July 1 of each year, the Director of Health Care Services shall submit to the Legislature final budget enactment information regarding the expenditure of Proposition 63 funding for each state department, and for each major program category specified in the measure, for local assistance.

(2) This shall include actual past-year expenditures, estimated current-year expenditures, and projected budget-year expenditures of local assistance funding.

(3) It shall also include a complete listing of state support expenditures for the current year and for the budget year by the State Department of Health Care Services, including the number of state positions and any contract funds.

(4) A description of these state expenditures shall accompany the fiscal information the director is required to submit to the Legislature pursuant to this section.

(b) (1) During each fiscal year, the Director of Health Care Services shall submit to the fiscal committees of the Legislature, 30 days in advance, written notice of the intention to expend Proposition 63 local assistance funding in excess of the amounts presented in its May Revision projection for that fiscal year.

(2) The written notice shall include information regarding the amount of the additional spending and its purpose.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 41. (SB 326) Effective October 12, 2023.)

article: 4. Financial Participation


citation: WIC § 5814

text:
(a) (1) This part shall be implemented only to the extent that funds are appropriated for purposes of this part. To the extent that funds are made available, the first priority shall go to maintain funding for the existing programs that meet adult system of care contract goals. The next priority for funding shall be given to counties with a high incidence of persons who have a serious mental health condition and are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and meet the criteria developed pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (4).

(2) The Director of Health Care Services shall establish a methodology for awarding grants under this part consistent with the legislative intent expressed in Section 5802, and in consultation with the advisory committee established in this subdivision.

(3) (A) The Director of Health Care Services shall establish an advisory committee for the purpose of providing advice regarding the development of criteria for the award of grants, and the identification of specific performance measures for evaluating the effectiveness of grants. The committee shall review evaluation reports and make findings on evidence-based best practices and recommendations for grant conditions. At not less than one meeting annually, the advisory committee shall provide to the director written comments on the performance of each of the county programs. Upon request by the department, each participating county that is the subject of a comment shall provide a written response to the comment. The department shall comment on each of these responses at a subsequent meeting.

(B) The committee shall include, but not be limited to, representatives from state, county, and community veterans’ services and disabled veterans outreach programs, supportive housing and other housing assistance programs, law enforcement, county mental health and private providers of local mental health services and mental health outreach services, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, local substance use disorder services providers, the Department of Rehabilitation, providers of local employment services, the State Department of Social Services, the Department of Housing and Community Development, a service provider to transition youth, the United Advocates for Children of California, the California Mental Health Advocates for Children and Youth, the Mental Health Association of California, the California Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the California Network of Mental Health Clients, the California Behavioral Health Planning Council, the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, and other appropriate entities.

(4) The criteria for the award of grants shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(A) A description of a comprehensive strategic plan for providing outreach, prevention, intervention, and evaluation in a cost-appropriate manner corresponding to the criteria specified in subdivision (c).

(B) A description of the local population to be served, ability to administer an effective service program, and the degree to which local agencies and advocates will support and collaborate with program efforts.

(C) A description of efforts to maximize the use of other state, federal, and local funds or services that can support and enhance the effectiveness of these programs.

(5) In order to reduce the cost of providing supportive housing for clients, counties that receive a grant pursuant to this part after January 1, 2004, shall enter into contracts with sponsors of supportive housing projects to the greatest extent possible. Participating counties are encouraged to commit a portion of their grants to rental assistance for a specified number of housing units in exchange for the counties’ clients having the right of first refusal to rent the assisted units.

(b) In each year in which additional funding is provided by the annual Budget Act, the State Department of Health Care Services shall establish programs that offer individual counties sufficient funds to comprehensively serve adults with a serious mental health condition who are homeless, recently released from a county jail or the state prison, or others who are untreated, unstable, and at significant risk of incarceration or homelessness unless treatment is provided to them. In consultation with the advisory committee established pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), the department shall report to the Legislature on or before May 1 of each year in which additional funding is provided, and shall evaluate, at a minimum, the effectiveness of the strategies in providing successful outreach and reducing homelessness, involvement with local law enforcement, and other measures identified by the department. The evaluation shall include for each program funded in the current fiscal year as much of the following as available information permits:

(1) The number of persons served, and of those, the number who receive extensive community mental health services.

(2) The number of persons who are able to maintain housing, including the type of housing and whether it is emergency, transitional, or permanent housing, as defined by the department.

(3) (A) The amount of grant funding spent on each type of housing.

(B) Other local, state, or federal funds or programs used to house clients.

(4) The number of persons with contacts with local law enforcement and the extent to which local and state incarceration has been reduced or avoided.

(5) The number of persons participating in employment service programs including competitive employment.

(6) The number of persons contacted in outreach efforts who appear to have a serious mental health condition, as described in Section 5600.3, who have refused treatment after completion of all applicable outreach measures.

(7) The amount of hospitalization that has been reduced or avoided.

(8) The extent to which veterans identified through these programs’ outreach are receiving federally funded veterans’ services for which they are eligible.

(9) The extent to which programs funded for three or more years are making a measurable and significant difference on the street, in hospitals, and in jails, as compared to other counties or as compared to those counties in previous years.

(10) For those who have been enrolled in this program for at least two years and who were enrolled in Medi-Cal prior to, and at the time they were enrolled in, this program, a comparison of their Medi-Cal hospitalizations and other Medi-Cal costs for the two years prior to enrollment and the two years after enrollment in this program.

(11) The number of persons served who were and were not receiving Medi-Cal benefits in the 12-month period prior to enrollment and, to the extent possible, the number of emergency room visits and other medical costs for those not enrolled in Medi-Cal in the prior 12-month period.

(c) To the extent that state savings associated with providing integrated services for persons with a mental health condition are quantified, it is the intent of the Legislature to capture those savings in order to provide integrated services to additional adults.

(d) Each project shall include outreach and service grants in accordance with a contract between the state and approved counties that reflects the number of anticipated contacts with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and the number of those who have a serious mental health condition and who are likely to be successfully referred for treatment and will remain in treatment as necessary.

(e) All counties that receive funding shall be subject to specific terms and conditions of oversight and training, which shall be developed by the department, in consultation with the advisory committee.

(f) (1) As used in this part, “receiving extensive mental health services” means having a personal services coordinator, as described in subdivision (b) of Section 5806, and having an individual personal service plan, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 5806.

(2) The funding provided pursuant to this part shall be sufficient to provide mental health services, medically necessary medications to treat severe mental illnesses, alcohol and drug services, transportation, supportive housing and other housing assistance, vocational rehabilitation and supported employment services, money management assistance for accessing other health care and obtaining federal income and housing support, accessing veterans’ services, stipends, and other incentives to attract and retain sufficient numbers of qualified professionals as necessary to provide the necessary levels of these services. These grants shall, however, pay for only that portion of the costs of those services not otherwise provided by federal funds or other state funds.

(3) Methods used by counties to contract for services pursuant to paragraph (2) shall promote prompt and flexible use of funds, consistent with the scope of services for which the county has contracted with each provider.

(g) Contracts awarded pursuant to this part shall be exempt from the Public Contract Code and the state administrative manual and shall not be subject to the approval of the Department of General Services.

(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds awarded to counties pursuant to this part and Part 4 (commencing with Section 5850) shall not require a local match in funds.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 243, Sec. 12. (SB 862) Effective January 1, 2026.)

article: 4. Financial Participation


text:
(a) (1) In any year in which funds are appropriated for this purpose through the annual Budget Act, counties funded under this part in the 1999–2000 fiscal year are eligible for funding to continue their programs if they have successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of their grants received in that year and to expand their programs if they also demonstrate significant continued unmet need and capacity for expansion without compromising quality or effectiveness of care.

(2) In any year in which funds are appropriated for this purpose through the annual Budget Act, other counties or portions of counties, or cities that operate independent public mental health programs pursuant to Section 5615 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, are eligible for funding to establish programs if a county or eligible city demonstrates that it can provide comprehensive services, as set forth in this part, to a substantial number of adults who have a severe mental illness, as defined in Section 5600.3, and are homeless or recently released from the county jail or who are untreated, unstable, and at significant risk of incarceration or homelessness unless treatment is provided.

(b) (1) Counties eligible for funding pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be those that have or can develop integrated adult service programs that meet the criteria for an adult system of care, as set forth in Section 5806, and that have, or can develop, integrated forensic programs with similar characteristics for parolees and those recently released from county jail who meet the target population requirements of Section 5600.3 and are at risk of incarceration unless the services are provided. Before a city or county submits a proposal to the state to establish or expand a program, the proposal shall be reviewed by a local advisory committee or mental health board, which may be an existing body, that includes clients, family members, private providers of services, and other relevant stakeholders. Local enrollment for integrated adult service programs and for integrated forensic programs funded pursuant to subdivision (a) shall adhere to all conditions set forth by the department, including the total number of clients to be enrolled, the providers to which clients are enrolled and the maximum cost for each provider, the maximum number of clients to be served at any one time, the outreach and screening process used to identify enrollees, and the total cost of the program. Local enrollment of each individual for integrated forensic programs shall be subject to the approval of the county behavioral health director or their designee.

(2) Each county shall ensure that funds provided by these grants are used to expand existing integrated service programs that meet the criteria of the adult system of care to provide new services in accordance with the purpose for which they were appropriated and allocated, and that none of these funds shall be used to supplant existing services to adults with a serious mental health condition. To ensure that this requirement is met, the department shall develop methods and contractual requirements, as it determines necessary. At a minimum, these assurances shall include that state and federal requirements regarding tracking of funds are met and that patient records are maintained in a manner that protects privacy and confidentiality, as required under federal and state law.

(c) Each county selected to receive a grant pursuant to this section shall provide data as the department may require, that demonstrates the outcomes of the adult system of care programs, shall specify the additional numbers of adults with a severe mental health condition to whom they will provide comprehensive services for each million dollars of additional funding that may be awarded through either an integrated adult service grant or an integrated forensic grant, and shall agree to provide services in accordance with Section 5806. Each county’s plan shall identify and include sufficient funding to provide housing for the individuals to be served, and shall ensure that hospitalization of an individual participating in the program is coordinated with the provision of other mental health services provided under the program.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 948, Sec. 47. (AB 2119) Effective January 1, 2025.)

article: 4. Financial Participation


citation: WIC § 5815

text: The State Department of Health Care Services shall seek all available federal funding for mental health services for veterans.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 34, Sec. 195. (SB 1009) Effective June 27, 2012.)

article: 4. Financial Participation


citation: WIC § 5820

text:
(a) It is the intent of this part to establish a program with dedicated funding to remedy the shortage of qualified individuals to provide services to address severe mental illnesses.

(b) Each county mental health program shall submit to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development a needs assessment identifying its shortages in each professional and other occupational category in order to increase the supply of professional staff and other staff that county mental health programs anticipate they will require in order to provide the increase in services projected to serve additional individuals and families pursuant to Part 3 (commencing with Section 5800), Part 3.2 (commencing with Section 5830), Part 3.6 (commencing with Section 5840), and Part 4 (commencing with Section 5850) of this division. For purposes of this part, employment in California’s public mental health system includes employment in private organizations providing publicly funded mental health services.

(c) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, in coordination with the California Behavioral Health Planning Council, shall identify the total statewide needs for each professional and other occupational category utilizing county needs assessment information and develop a five-year education and training development plan.

(d) Development of the first five-year plan shall commence upon enactment of the initiative. Subsequent plans shall be adopted every five years, with the next five-year plan due as of April 1, 2014.

(e) Each five-year plan shall be reviewed and approved by the California Behavioral Health Planning Council.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 511, Sec. 17. (AB 1688) Effective January 1, 2018. Note: This section was added on Nov. 2, 2004, by initiative Prop. 63.)

path: 5. COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES > 4. Operation and Administration > 3.1. HUMAN RESOURCES, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING PROGRAMS


citation: WIC § 5821

text:
(a) The California Behavioral Health Planning Council shall advise the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development on education and training policy development and provide oversight for education and training plan development.

(b) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development shall work with the California Behavioral Health Planning Council and the State Department of Health Care Services so that council staff is increased appropriately to fulfill its duties required by Sections 5820 and 5821.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 511, Sec. 18. (AB 1688) Effective January 1, 2018. Note: This section was added on Nov. 2, 2004, by initiative Prop. 63.)

part: 3.1. HUMAN RESOURCES, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING PROGRAMS


citation: WIC § 5822

text:
The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development shall include in the five-year plan:

(a) Expansion plans for the capacity of postsecondary education to meet the needs of identified mental health occupational shortages.

(b) Expansion plans for the forgiveness and scholarship programs offered in return for a commitment to employment in California’s public mental health system and make loan forgiveness programs available to current employees of the mental health system who want to obtain Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, master’s degrees, or doctoral degrees.

(c) Creation of a stipend program modeled after the federal Title IV-E program for persons enrolled in academic institutions who want to be employed in the mental health system.

(d) Establishment of regional partnerships between the mental health system and the educational system to expand outreach to multicultural communities, increase the diversity of the mental health workforce, to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, and to promote the use of web-based technologies, and distance learning techniques.

(e) Strategies to recruit high school students for mental health occupations, increasing the prevalence of mental health occupations in high school career development programs such as health science academies, adult schools, and regional occupation centers and programs, and increasing the number of human service academies.

(f) Curriculum to train and retrain staff to provide services in accordance with the provisions and principles of Part 3 (commencing with Section 5800), Part 3.2 (commencing with Section 5830), Part 3.6 (commencing with Section 5840), and Part 4 (commencing with Section 5850) of this division.

(g) Promotion of the employment of mental health consumers and family members in the mental health system.

(h) Promotion of the meaningful inclusion of mental health consumers and family members and incorporating their viewpoint and experiences in the training and education programs in subdivisions (a) through (f).

(i) Promotion of meaningful inclusion of diverse, racial, and ethnic community members who are underrepresented in the mental health provider network.

(j) Promotion of the inclusion of cultural competency in the training and education programs in subdivisions (a) through (f).

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 23, Sec. 57. (AB 1467) Effective June 27, 2012. Note: This section was added on Nov. 2, 2004, by initiative Prop. 63.)


citation: WIC § 5830

text:
County mental health programs shall develop plans for innovative programs to be funded pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 5892.

(a) The innovative programs shall have the following purposes:

(1) To increase access to underserved groups.

(2) To increase the quality of services, including better outcomes.

(3) To promote interagency collaboration.

(4) To increase access to services, including, but not limited to, services provided through permanent supportive housing.

(b) All projects included in the innovative program portion of the county plan shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Address one of the following purposes as its primary purpose:

(A) Increase access to underserved groups, which may include providing access through the provision of permanent supportive housing.

(B) Increase the quality of services, including measurable outcomes.

(C) Promote interagency and community collaboration.

(D) Increase access to services, which may include providing access through the provision of permanent supportive housing.

(2) Support innovative approaches by doing one of the following:

(A) Introducing new mental health practices or approaches, including, but not limited to, prevention and early intervention.

(B) Making a change to an existing mental health practice or approach, including, but not limited to, adaptation for a new setting or community.

(C) Introducing a new application to the mental health system of a promising community-driven practice or an approach that has been successful in nonmental health contexts or settings.

(D) Participating in a housing program designed to stabilize a person’s living situation while also providing supportive services on site.

(c) An innovative project may affect virtually any aspect of mental health practices or assess a new or changed application of a promising approach to solving persistent, seemingly intractable mental health challenges, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

(1) Administrative, governance, and organizational practices, processes, or procedures.

(2) Advocacy.

(3) Education and training for service providers, including nontraditional mental health practitioners.

(4) Outreach, capacity building, and community development.

(5) System development.

(6) Public education efforts.

(7) Research. If research is chosen for an innovative project, the county mental health program shall consider, but is not required to implement, research of the brain and its physical and biochemical processes that may have broad applications, but that have specific potential for understanding, treating, and managing mental illness, including, but not limited to, research through the Cal-BRAIN program pursuant to Section 92986 of the Education Code or other collaborative, public-private initiatives designed to map the dynamics of neuron activity.

(8) Services and interventions, including prevention, early intervention, and treatment.

(9) Permanent supportive housing development.

(d) If an innovative project has proven to be successful and a county chooses to continue it, the project workplan shall transition to another category of funding as appropriate.

(e) County mental health programs shall expend funds for their innovation programs upon approval by the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission.

(f) If amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election, this section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2026, and as of January 1, 2027, is repealed.

history: (History: Amended (as amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 42) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 243, Sec. 13. (SB 862) Effective January 1, 2026. Inoperative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, by its own provisions. See later operative version added by Sec. 43 of Stats. 2023, Ch. 790.)

part: 3.2. INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS

path: 5. COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES > 4. Operation and Administration > 3.2. INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS


text:
(a) (1) Each county shall establish and administer a program for housing interventions to serve persons who are chronically homeless or experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness, as defined in Section 5892, and meet one of the following conditions:

(A) Eligible children and youth, as defined in Section 5892.

(B) Eligible adults and older adults, as defined in Section 5892.

(2) Housing interventions shall not be limited to individuals enrolled in full-service partnerships pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 5887.

(3) Housing interventions shall not be limited to individuals enrolled in Medi-Cal.

(4) Housing interventions shall not discriminate against or deny access to housing for individuals that are utilizing medications for addiction treatment or other authorized medications.

(5) Housing interventions shall comply with the core components of Housing First, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 8255, and may include recovery housing, as defined by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(b) (1) County programs for housing interventions may include any of the following:

(A) Rental subsidies.

(B) Operating subsidies.

(C) Shared housing.

(D) Family housing for eligible children and youth who meet the criteria specified in subdivision (a).

(E) The nonfederal share for transitional rent.

(F) Other housing supports, as defined by the State Department of Health Care Services, including, but not limited to, the community supports policy guide.

(G) Capital development projects, including affordable housing, as described in paragraph (2).

(H) Project-based housing assistance, including master leasing of project-based housing.

(I) Funds pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 5892 shall not be used for mental health and substance use disorder treatment services.

(2) (A) County programs for housing interventions may include capital development projects, under the provisions of Section 5831, to either construct or rehabilitate housing units, or both, for the persons meeting the criteria specified in subdivision (a) consistent with the State Department of Health Care Services guidelines for this purpose.

(B) The units funded pursuant to this provision shall be available in a reasonable timeframe, as specified by the State Department of Health Care Services and consistent with the county integrated plan pursuant to Section 5963.02, and shall meet a cost-per-unit threshold as specified by the State Department of Health Care Services.

(C) For purposes of this section and Section 5831, “affordable housing” includes supportive housing. “Supportive housing” has the same meaning as defined in Section 50675.14 of the Health and Safety Code.

(3) County programs for housing interventions shall comply with all requirements specified by the State Department of Health Care Services, pursuant to Section 5963.05, for the purposes of administering paragraphs (1) and (2).

(c) (1) To the extent that necessary federal approvals have been obtained for the Medi-Cal program to cover housing interventions and federal financial participation is available and not otherwise jeopardized, the housing interventions funds distributed pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 5892 may be used for the nonfederal share of Medi-Cal covered housing related services. The housing intervention funds distributed pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 5892 shall only cover the costs that cannot be paid for with Medi-Cal program funds, including costs for Medi-Cal members enrolled in a Medi-Cal managed care plan, as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 14184.101, that does not cover those services.

(2) Funds shall not be used for housing interventions covered by a Medi-Cal managed care plan, as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 14184.101.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law, a capital development project funded pursuant to this section shall not constitute a “low rent housing project,” as provided for in subdivision (e).

(e) “Low rent housing project,” as defined in Section 1 of Article XXXIV of the California Constitution, does not apply to a project that meets any of the following criteria:

(1) The project meets both of the following criteria:

(A) Is privately owned housing, receiving no ad valorem property tax exemption other than exemptions granted pursuant to subdivision (f) or (g) of Section 214 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, not fully reimbursed to all taxing entities.

(B) Not more than 49 percent of the dwellings, apartments, or other living accommodations of the development may be occupied by persons of low income.

(2) The project is privately owned housing, is not exempt from ad valorem taxation by reason of public ownership, and is not financed with direct long-term financing from a public body.

(3) The project is intended for owner-occupancy, which may include a limited-equity housing cooperative, as defined in Section 50076.5 of the Health and Safety Code, cooperative, or condominium ownership rather than for rental-occupancy.

(4) The project consists of newly constructed, privately owned, one- to four-family dwellings not located on adjoining sites.

(5) The project consists of existing dwelling units leased by the state public body from the private owner of these dwelling units.

(6) The project consists of the rehabilitation, reconstruction, improvement, or addition to, or replacement of, dwelling units of a previously existing low-rent housing project or a project previously or currently occupied by lower income households, as defined in Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

(7) The project consists of the acquisition, rehabilitation, reconstruction, or improvement, or any combination thereof, of a project that, prior to the date of the transaction to acquire, rehabilitate, reconstruct, or improve, or any combination thereof, was subject to a contract for federal or state public body assistance for the purpose of providing affordable housing for low-income households and maintains, or enters into, a contract for federal or state public body assistance for the purpose of providing affordable housing for low-income households.

(8) The project consists of the acquisition, rehabilitation, reconstruction, alterations work, or new construction, or a combination thereof, of lodging facilities or dwelling units using moneys received from the Behavioral Health Services Fund established pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 5890.

(f) This section shall be implemented only to the extent that funds are provided from the Behavioral Health Services Fund for purposes of this section. This section does not obligate the counties to use funds from any other source for services pursuant to this section.

(g) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2026, if amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election.

history: (History: Repealed (in Sec. 42) and added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 43. (SB 326) Effective April 17, 2024. Approved in Proposition 1 at the March 5, 2024, election. Operative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)


citation: WIC § 5831

text:
(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, a capital development project funded, in whole or in part, pursuant to Section 5892 shall be a use by right that shall be subject to the streamlined, ministerial review process, pursuant to subdivision (b), if it meets all of the following criteria:

(A) (i) Affordable housing shall be located in a zone where multifamily residential, office, retail, or parking are a principally permitted use. Nothing here shall be construed to limit other housing interventions pursuant to Section 5830 that conform to existing zoning.

(ii) The intent of capital development funding is to prioritize the production of housing that provides long-term housing stability.

(B) At least 75 percent of the perimeter of the site adjoins parcels that are developed with urban uses.

(C) It satisfies the requirements specified in subparagraphs (B) to (K), inclusive, of paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 65913.4 of the Government Code.

(D) It is not on a site or adjoined to any site where more than one-third of the square footage on the site is dedicated to industrial use.

(E) The development will meet the following objective zoning standards, objective subdivision standards, and objective design review standards:

(i) For affordable housing, the applicable objective standards shall be those for the zone that allows residential use at a greater density between the following:

(I) The existing zoning designation for the parcel if existing zoning allows for residential use.

(II) The zoning designation for the closest parcel that allows residential use at a density deemed appropriate to accommodate housing for lower income households in that jurisdiction as specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 65583.2 of the Government Code.

(ii) The applicable objective standards shall be those in effect at the time that the development application is submitted to the local government pursuant to this article.

(iii) A development proposed pursuant to this section shall be eligible for the same density bonus, incentives or concessions, waivers or reductions of development standards, and parking ratios applicable to a project that meets the criteria specified in subparagraph (G) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 65915 of the Government Code.

(F) No housing units were acquired by eminent domain.

(G) The housing units will be in decent, safe, and sanitary condition at the time of their occupancy.

(H) The project meets the labor standards contained in Sections 65912.130 and 65912.131 of the Government Code.

(I) The project provides housing for individuals who meet the criteria specified in subdivision (a) of Section 5830 and their families.

(J) Affordable housing shall require long-term covenants and restrictions require the housing units to be restricted to persons who meet the criteria specified in subdivision (a) for no fewer than 30 years.

(2) (A) For purposes of this subdivision, parcels only separated by a street or highway shall be considered to be adjoined.

(B) For purposes of this subdivision, “dedicated to industrial use” means any of the following:

(i) The square footage is currently being used as an industrial use.

(ii) The most recently permitted use of the square footage is an industrial use.

(iii) The site was designated for industrial use in the latest version of a local government’s general plan adopted before January 1, 2022.

(b) The project shall be subject to the following streamlined, ministerial review process:

(1) (A) If the local government determines that a development submitted pursuant to this article is consistent with the objective planning standards specified in this article, it shall approve the development.

(B) If a local government determines that a development submitted pursuant to this article is in conflict with any of the objective planning standards specified in this article, it shall provide the development proponent written documentation of which standard or standards the development conflicts with, and an explanation for the reason or reasons the development conflicts with that standard or standards, within the following timeframes:

(i) Within 60 days of submission of the development proposal to the local government if the development contains 150 or fewer housing units.

(ii) Within 90 days of submission of the development proposal to the local government if the development contains more than 150 housing units.

(C) If the local government fails to provide the required documentation pursuant to subparagraph (B), the development shall be deemed to satisfy the required objective planning standards.

(D) (i) For purposes of this section, a development is consistent with the objective planning standards if there is substantial evidence that would allow a reasonable person to conclude that the development is consistent with the objective planning standards.

(ii) For purposes of this section, a development is not in conflict with the objective planning standards solely on the basis that application materials are not included, if the application contains substantial evidence that would allow a reasonable person to conclude that the development is consistent with the objective planning standards.

(E) The determination of whether a proposed project submitted pursuant to this section is or is not in conflict with the objective planning standards is not a “project” as defined in Section 21065 of the Public Resources Code.

(2) Design review of the development may be conducted by the local government’s planning commission or any equivalent board or commission responsible for design review. That design review shall be objective and be strictly focused on assessing compliance with criteria required for streamlined, ministerial review of projects, as well as any reasonable objective design standards published and adopted by ordinance or resolution by a local jurisdiction before submittal of the development to the local government, and shall be broadly applicable to developments within the jurisdiction. That design review shall be completed as follows and shall not in any way inhibit, chill, or preclude the ministerial approval provided by this section or its effect, as applicable:

(A) Within 90 days of submittal of the development proposal to the local government pursuant to this section if the development contains 150 or fewer housing units.

(B) Within 180 days of submittal of the development proposal to the local government pursuant to this section if the development contains more than 150 housing units.

(c) Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code shall not apply to actions taken by the Department of Housing and Community Development, the State Department of Health Care Services, or a local agency not acting as the lead agency to provide financial assistance or insurance for the development and construction of projects built pursuant to this section.

(d) The applicant shall file a notice of exemption with the Office of Planning and Research and the county clerk of the county in which the project is located in the manner specified in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 21152 of the Public Resources Code.

(e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Objective zoning standards,” “objective subdivision standards,” and “objective design review standards” mean standards that involve no personal or subjective judgment by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark or criterion available and knowable by both the development applicant or proponent and the public official before submittal. These standards may be embodied in alternative objective land use specifications adopted by a city or county, and may include, but are not limited to, housing overlay zones, specific plans, inclusionary zoning ordinances, and density bonus ordinances.

(2) “Use by right” means a development project that satisfies both of the following conditions:

(A) The development project does not require a conditional use permit, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary local government review.

(B) The development project is not a “project” for purposes of Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.

(f) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2026, if amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 44. (SB 326) Effective April 17, 2024. Approved in Proposition 1 at the March 5, 2024, election. Operative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)


citation: WIC § 5835

text:
(a) This part shall be known, and may be cited, as the Early Psychosis Intervention Plus (EPI Plus) Program to encompass early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention.

(b) As used in this part, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Commission” means the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission established pursuant to Section 5845.

(2) “Early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention” refers to a program that utilizes evidence-based approaches and services to identify and support clinical and functional recovery of individuals by reducing the severity of first, or early, episode psychotic symptoms, other early markers of serious mental illness, such as mood disorders, keeping individuals in school or at work, and putting them on a path to better health and wellness. This may include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(A) Focused outreach to at-risk and in-need populations as applicable.

(B) Recovery-oriented psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy focusing on cooccurring disorders.

(C) Family psychoeducation and support.

(D) Supported education and employment.

(E) Pharmacotherapy and primary care coordination.

(F) Use of innovative technology for mental health information feedback access that can provide a valued and unique opportunity to assist individuals with mental health needs and to optimize care.

(G) Case management.

(3) “County” includes a city receiving funds pursuant to Section 5701.5.

(c) If amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election, this section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2026, and as of January 1, 2027, is repealed.

history: (History: Amended (as amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 45) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 243, Sec. 14. (SB 862) Effective January 1, 2026. Inoperative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, by its own provisions. See later operative version added by Sec. 46 of Stats. 2023, Ch. 790.)

path: 5. COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES > 4. Operation and Administration > 3.4. Early Psychosis Intervention Plus (EPI PLUS) Program


text:
(a) This part shall be known, and may be cited, as the Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) Plus Program to encompass early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention.

(b) As used in this part, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Commission” means the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission established pursuant to Section 5845.

(2) “Early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention” refers to a program that utilizes evidence-based approaches and services to identify and support clinical and functional recovery of individuals by reducing the severity of first, or early, episode psychotic symptoms, other early markers of serious mental illness, such as mood disorders, keeping individuals in school or at work, and putting them on a path to better health and wellness. This may include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(A) Focused outreach to at-risk and in-need populations as applicable.

(B) Recovery-oriented psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy focusing on cooccurring disorders.

(C) Family psychoeducation and support.

(D) Supported education and employment.

(E) Pharmacotherapy and primary care coordination.

(F) Use of innovative technology for mental health information feedback access that can provide a valued and unique opportunity to assist individuals with mental health needs and to optimize care.

(G) Case management.

(3) “County” includes a city receiving funds pursuant to Section 5701.5.

(c) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2026, if amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election.

history: (History: Repealed (in Sec. 45) and added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 46. (SB 326) Effective October 12, 2023. Operative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)

part: 3.4. Early Psychosis Intervention Plus (EPI PLUS) Program


text:
(a) The Early Psychosis and Mood Disorder Detection and Intervention Fund is hereby created within the State Treasury. The moneys in the fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the commission for the purposes of this part. The commission may use no more than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of the amount deposited annually into the fund for administrative expenses in implementing this part, including providing technical assistance.

(b) There may be paid into the fund all of the following:

(1) Any private donation or grant.

(2) Any other federal or state grant.

(3) Any interest that accrues on amounts in the fund and any moneys previously allocated from the fund that are subsequently returned to the fund.

(c) Moneys shall be allocated from the fund by the commission for the purposes of this part.

(d) Distributions from the fund shall be supplemental to any other amounts otherwise provided to county behavioral health departments for any purpose and shall only be used to fund early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention programs.

(e) The commission may elect not to make awards if available funds are insufficient.

(f) Funds shall not be appropriated from the General Fund for the purposes of this part.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 414, Sec. 2. (AB 1315) Effective January 1, 2018.)


text:
(a) There is hereby established an advisory committee to the commission. The Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission shall accept nominations and applications to the committee, and the chair of the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission shall appoint members to the committee, unless otherwise specified. Membership on the committee shall be as follows:

(1) The chair of the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, or their designee, who shall serve as the chair of the committee.

(2) The president of the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California, or their designee.

(3) The director of a county behavioral health department that administers an early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention-type program in their county.

(4) A representative from a nonprofit community mental health organization that focuses on service delivery to transition-aged youth and young adults.

(5) A psychiatrist or psychologist.

(6) A representative from the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence at the University of California, Davis, or a representative from a similar entity with expertise from within the University of California system.

(7) A representative from a health plan participating in the Medi-Cal managed care program and the employer-based health care market.

(8) A representative from the medical technologies industry who is knowledgeable in advances in technology related to the use of innovative social media and mental health information feedback access.

(9) A representative knowledgeable in evidence-based practices as they pertain to the operations of an early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention-type program, including knowledge of other states’ experiences.

(10) A representative who is a parent or guardian caring for a young child with a mental illness.

(11) An at-large representative identified by the chair.

(12) A representative who is a person with lived experience of a mental illness.

(13) A primary care provider from a licensed primary care clinic that provides integrated primary and behavioral health care.

(b) The advisory committee shall be convened by the chair and shall, at a minimum, do all of the following:

(1) Provide advice and guidance broadly on approaches to early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention programs from an evidence-based perspective.

(2) Review and make recommendations on the commission’s guidelines or any regulations in the development, design, selection of awards pursuant to this part, and the implementation or oversight of the early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention competitive selection process established pursuant to this part.

(3) Assist and advise the commission in the overall evaluation of the early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention competitive selection process.

(4) Provide advice and guidance as requested and directed by the chair.

(5) Recommend a core set of standardized clinical and outcome measures that the funded programs would be required to collect, subject to future revision. A free data sharing portal shall be available to all participating programs.

(6) Inform the funded programs about the potential to participate in clinical research studies.

(c) If amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election, this section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2026, and as of January 1, 2027, is repealed.

history: (History: Amended (as amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 47) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 243, Sec. 15. (SB 862) Effective January 1, 2026. Inoperative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, by its own provisions. See later operative version added by Sec. 48 of Stats. 2023, Ch. 790.)


text:
(a) There is hereby established an advisory committee to the commission. The Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission shall accept nominations and applications to the committee, and the chair of the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission shall appoint members to the committee, unless otherwise specified. Membership on the committee shall be as follows:

(1) The chair of the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, or their designee, who shall serve as the chair of the committee.

(2) The president of the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California, or their designee.

(3) The director of a county behavioral health department that administers an early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention-type program in their county.

(4) A representative from a nonprofit community mental health organization that focuses on service delivery to transition-aged youth and young adults.

(5) A psychiatrist or psychologist.

(6) A representative from the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence at the University of California, Davis, or a representative from a similar entity with expertise from within the University of California system.

(7) A representative from a health plan participating in the Medi-Cal managed care program and the employer-based health care market.

(8) A representative from the medical technologies industry who is knowledgeable in advances in technology related to the use of innovative social media and mental health information feedback access.

(9) A representative knowledgeable in evidence-based practices as they pertain to the operations of an early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention-type program, including knowledge of other states’ experiences.

(10) A representative who is a parent or guardian caring for a young child with a mental illness.

(11) An at-large representative identified by the chair.

(12) A representative who is a person with lived experience of a mental illness.

(13) A primary care provider from a licensed primary care clinic that provides integrated primary and behavioral health care.

(14) A school social worker, school psychologist, or school counselor holding a pupil personnel services credential.

(15) A California public school administrator.

(16) A representative knowledgeable in community-defined evidence practices and reducing behavioral health disparities.

(b) The advisory committee shall be convened by the chair and shall, at a minimum, do all of the following:

(1) Provide advice and guidance broadly on approaches to early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention programs from an evidence-based perspective.

(2) Review and make recommendations on the commission’s guidelines or regulations in the development, design, and selection of awards pursuant to this part, and the implementation or oversight of the early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention competitive selection process established pursuant to this part.

(3) Assist and advise the commission in the overall evaluation of the early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention competitive selection process.

(4) Provide advice and guidance as requested and directed by the chair.

(5) Recommend a core set of standardized clinical and outcome measures that the funded programs would be required to collect, subject to future revision. A free data sharing portal shall be available to all participating programs.

(6) Inform the funded programs about the potential to participate in clinical research studies.

(c) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2026, if amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election.

history: (History: Repealed (in Sec. 47) and added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 48. (SB 326) Effective October 12, 2023. Operative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)


text:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to authorize the commission to administer a competitive selection process as provided in this part to create new, and to expand and improve the fidelity of existing, service capacity for early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention services in California.

(b) The core objectives of this competitive selection process include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Expanding the provision of high-quality, evidence-based early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention services within California.

(2) Improving access to effective services for transition-aged youth and young adults at high risk for, or experiencing, psychotic symptoms, including the prodromal phase, or psychotic disorders.

(3) More comprehensively and effectively measuring programmatic effectiveness and enrolled client outcomes of programs receiving awards in the competitive selection process.

(4) Improving the client experience in accessing services and in working toward recovery and wellness.

(5) Increasing participation in school attendance, social interactions, physical health, personal bonding relationships, and active rehabilitation, including employment and daily living function development for clients.

(6) Reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and inpatient days by appropriately utilizing community-based services and improving access to timely assistance to early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention services.

(7) Expanding the use of innovative technologies for mental health information feedback access that can provide a valued and unique opportunity to optimize care for the target population. This may include technologies for treatment and symptom monitoring.

(8) Providing local communities with increased financial resources to leverage additional public and private funding sources to achieve improved networks of care for the target population, including transition-aged youth and young adults.

(9) Improving whole-person care by increasing access to, and coordination of, mental health and medical care services.

(c) Funds allocated by the commission shall be made available to selected counties, or counties acting jointly, through a competitive selection process, or to other entities for research, evaluation, technical assistance, and other related purposes.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, a county, or counties acting jointly, that receive an award of funds shall be required to provide a contribution of local funds.

(2) Upon approval of the commission, after consultation with the Department of Finance and the State Department of Health Care Services, other locally acquired funding, such as federal grants or allocations, or other special funds, may also be recognized for the purpose of contributing toward any contribution requirements.

(e) Awards made by the commission shall be used to create, or expand existing capacity for, early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention services and supports. The commission shall ensure that awards result in cost-effective and evidence-based services that comprehensively address identified needs of the target population, including transition-aged youth and young adults, in counties and regions selected for funding. The commission shall also take into account at least the following criteria and factors when selecting recipients of awards and determining the amount of awards:

(1) A description of need, including, at a minimum, a comprehensive description of the early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention services and supports to be established or expanded, community need, target population to be served, linkage with other public systems of health and mental health care, linkage with schools and community social services, and related assistance as applicable, and a description of the request for funding.

(2) A description of all programmatic components, including outreach and clinical aspects, of the local early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention services and supports.

(3) A description of any contractual relationships with contracting providers as applicable, including any memorandum of understanding between project partners.

(4) A description of local funds, including the total amounts, that would be contributed toward the services and supports as required by the commission through the competitive selection process, implementing guidelines, and regulations.

(5) The project timeline.

(6) The ability of the awardee to effectively and efficiently implement or expand an evidence-based program as referenced in this part.

(7) A description of core data collection and the framework for evaluating outcomes, including improved access to services and supports and a cost-benefit analysis of the project.

(8) A description of the sustainability of program services and supports in future years.

(f) The commission shall determine any minimum or maximum awards, and shall take into consideration the level of need, the population to be served, and related criteria as described in subdivision (e) and in any guidance or regulations, and shall reflect the reasonable costs of providing the services and supports.

(g) Funds awarded by the commission may be used to supplement, but not supplant, existing financial and resource commitments of the county or counties acting jointly, that receive the award.

(h) The commission may consult with a technical assistance entity, as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 4061, initiate an interagency agreement with another public entity, including the University of California system, or contract for necessary technical assistance to implement this part.

(i) The advisory committee may coordinate and recommend an allocation of funding to the commission for clinical research studies. The committee may recommend an amount not to exceed 10 percent of the total amount deposited in the Early Psychosis and Mood Disorder Detection and Intervention Fund for clinical research studies. The committee may recommend, in conjunction with the principal investigators, the data elements to be included in clinical research studies funded pursuant to this subdivision. The results of the clinical research studies shall be made available annually to the members of the public, including stakeholders and Members of the Legislature. The results of clinical research studies shall be deidentified in accordance with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) (Public Law 104-191), including Section 164.514 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and shall not contain any personally identifiable information according to the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1798) of Title 1.8 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code).

(j) The county and all award recipients shall comply with all applicable state and federal privacy laws that govern medical information, including, but not limited to, HIPAA and its implementing regulations, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division 1 of the Civil Code), the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1798) of Title 1.8 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code), and Section 10850.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 92, Sec. 227. (SB 1289) Effective January 1, 2019.)


text: Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the commission may implement this part without taking regulatory action until regulations are adopted. The commission shall adopt regulations implementing this part on or before January 1, 2019.


text: Implementation of the grant program established pursuant to Section 5835.3 and the adoption of regulations pursuant to Section 5835.4 is contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature, or the deposit into the fund established pursuant to Section 5835.1, of at least five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the purpose of funding grants and administrative costs for the commission pursuant to this part.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 26, Sec. 1. (SB 79) Effective June 27, 2019.)


citation: WIC § 5840

text:
(a) The State Department of Health Care Services, in coordination with counties, shall establish a program designed to prevent mental illnesses from becoming severe and disabling. The program shall emphasize improving timely access to services for underserved populations.

(b) The program shall include the following components:

(1) Outreach to families, employers, primary care health care providers, and others to recognize the early signs of potentially severe and disabling mental illnesses.

(2) Access and linkage to medically necessary care provided by county mental health programs for children with serious mental illness, as defined in Section 5600.3, and for adults and seniors with severe mental illness, as defined in Section 5600.3, as early in the onset of these conditions as practicable.

(3) Reduction in stigma associated with either being diagnosed with a mental illness or seeking mental health services.

(4) Reduction in discrimination against people with mental illness.

(c) The program shall include mental health services similar to those provided under other programs that are effective in preventing mental illnesses from becoming severe, and shall also include components similar to programs that have been successful in reducing the duration of untreated severe mental illnesses and assisting people in quickly regaining productive lives.

(d) The program shall emphasize strategies to reduce the following negative outcomes that may result from untreated mental illness:

(1) Suicide.

(2) Incarcerations.

(3) School failure or dropout.

(4) Unemployment.

(5) Prolonged suffering.

(6) Homelessness.

(7) Removal of children from their homes.

(e) Prevention and early intervention funds may be used to broaden the provision of community-based mental health services by adding prevention and early intervention services or activities to these services, including prevention and early intervention strategies that address mental health needs, substance misuse or substance use disorders, or needs relating to cooccurring mental health and substance use services.

(f) If amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election, this section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2026, and as of January 1, 2027, is repealed.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 790, Sec. 49. (SB 326) Effective April 17, 2024. Approved in Proposition 1 at the March 5, 2024, election. Operative January 1, 2025, pursuant to Sec. 117 of Proposition 1. Inoperative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, by its own provisions. See later operative version amended by Sec. 39 of Stats. 2024, Ch. 40.)

path: 5. COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES > 1. Prevention and Early Intervention Programs