Bill Text: CA AB2279 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Mental Health Services Act: county-by-county spending reports.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Vetoed) 2016-09-14 - Vetoed by Governor. [AB2279 Detail]
Download: California-2015-AB2279-Enrolled.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 2279 ENROLLED
BILL TEXT
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 17, 2016
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 23, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 15, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 13, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Cooley
(Coauthors: Senators Hertzberg and Nielsen)
FEBRUARY 18, 2016
An act to amend Section 5899 of the Welfare and Institutions Code,
relating to mental health.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2279, Cooley. Mental Health Services Act: county-by-county
spending reports.
Existing law, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), an initiative
measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2,
2004, statewide general election, establishes the Mental Health
Services Oversight and Accountability Commission. Existing law
requires the State Department of Health Care Services, in
consultation with the Mental Health Services Oversight and
Accountability Commission and the County Behavioral Health Directors
Association of California, to develop and administer instructions for
the Annual Mental Health Services Act Revenue and Expenditure
Report, which gathers specified information on mental health spending
as a result of the MHSA, including the expenditures of funds
distributed to each county.
This bill would require the department, based on the Annual Mental
Health Services Act Revenue and Expenditure Report, to compile
information, in total and by county on an annual basis, that
includes, among other things, the total amount of MHSA revenue, the
amount of MHSA money received and expended for each specified
component of the MHSA program, and the amount of MHSA money spent on
program administration. The bill would require the department to make
the collected information available to the Legislature and the
public on its Internet Web site no later than July 1, 2018, and
annually thereafter.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 5899 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
5899. (a) The State Department of Health Care Services, in
consultation with the Mental Health Services Oversight and
Accountability Commission and the County Behavioral Health Directors
Association of California, shall develop and administer instructions
for the Annual Mental Health Services Act Revenue and Expenditure
Report. The instructions shall include a requirement that the county
certify the accuracy of this report. This report shall be submitted
electronically to the department and to the Mental Health Services
Oversight and Accountability Commission. The department and the
commission shall annually post each county's report on its website in
a timely manner.
(b) The department, in consultation with the commission and the
County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California, shall
revise the instructions described in subdivision (a) by July 1, 2017,
and as needed thereafter, to improve the timely and accurate
submission of county revenue and expenditure data.
(c) The purpose of the Annual Mental Health Services Act Revenue
and Expenditure Report is as follows:
(1) Identify the expenditures of Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)
funds that were distributed to each county.
(2) Quantify the amount of additional funds generated for the
mental health system as a result of the MHSA.
(3) Identify unexpended funds, and interest earned on MHSA funds.
(4) Determine reversion amounts, if applicable, from prior fiscal
year distributions.
(d) This report is intended to provide information that allows for
the evaluation of all of the following:
(1) Children's systems of care.
(2) Prevention and early intervention strategies.
(3) Innovative projects.
(4) Workforce education and training.
(5) Adults and older adults systems of care.
(6) Capital facilities and technology needs.
(e) Based on the report required pursuant to subdivision (a), the
State Department of Health Care Services, no later than nine months
after the end of each fiscal year, shall collect and publicly report
all of the following information, by statewide total and by
individual county:
(1) Total revenue received from the Mental Health Services Act
(MHSA).
(2) The amount of MHSA funds received by the counties for each of
the following components of the act:
(A) Community services and supports.
(B) Prevention and early intervention.
(C) Innovation.
(D) Housing that is not funded under subparagraph (A).
(E) Workforce education and training that is not funded under
subparagraph (A).
(F) Capital facilities and technological needs that are not funded
under subparagraph (A).
(G) Other mental health services not reflected in subparagraphs
(A) to (F), inclusive.
(3) MHSA revenues expended in the prior fiscal year.
(4) The amount of the MHSA funds expended by the counties for each
of the components listed in paragraph (2).
(5) Funds held in prudent reserve by each county.
(6) Distributions from the counties' prudent reserves.
(7) For the most recent fiscal year, the amount of unspent MHSA
funds for each component listed in paragraph (2).
(8) MHSA funds subject to reversion and funds that have reverted.
(f) The information required to be reported pursuant to
subdivision (e) shall be reported for each fiscal year and shall
include statewide totals. The information shall be updated annually,
including revisions when necessary. Revisions shall be identified as
figures that have been revised from prior year reports. Annual
reports shall include fiscal information for a period of not less
than 10 fiscal years and shall include information for the most
recent fiscal year.
(g) (1) In addition to the information required pursuant to
subdivision (e), the department shall publicly report annual county
program expenditures for each of the following:
(A) Program administration.
(B) Research and evaluation.
(C) Funds used to support joint powers authorities or other
statewide entities.
(2) A county that cannot supply some or all of the information
required by paragraph (1) shall provide an explanation as to why and
shall provide a timeframe for making the information available.
(3) The department shall work with counties and other local mental
health agencies to determine how best to make the information
required in paragraph (1) available, including estimates. Estimated
information shall be reported as an estimate.
(h) Counties may submit to the department information about
programs that address the following areas:
(1) Homelessness.
(2) Criminal justice diversion or related programs.
(3) Suicide prevention.
(4) School-based mental health programs designed to reduce school
failure.
(5) Employment or other programs intended to reduce unemployment.
(6) Programs intended to reduce or prevent involvement with the
child welfare system.
(7) Stigma reduction.
(8) Programs specifically designed to reduce racial and ethnic
disparities.
(9) Programs specifically designed to meet the needs of the
following populations:
(A) Veterans.
(B) Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning
(LGBTQQ).
(C) Children.
(D) Transition-age youth.
(E) Adults.
(F) Older adults.
(i) The department shall compile the information in subdivisions
(e) to (h), inclusive, collected from counties or other local mental
health agencies to promote public understanding of MHSA funds that
are distributed statewide and for each county, as well as how those
funds are spent and what funds remain available for expenditure.
(j) The department shall consult with the Mental Health Services
Oversight and Accountability Commission, the State Controller's
Office, the Department of Finance, counties and other local mental
health agencies, and any other agency required to implement this
section.
(k) The department shall consolidate reporting requirements when
feasible and shall propose to the appropriate policy committees of
the Legislature strategies to refine and consolidate reporting
requirements to meet the goals of this section.
(l) The department shall make the information required by this
section available to the Legislature and the public on its Internet
Web site no later than July 1, 2018, and annually thereafter.
(m) If a county does not submit the annual revenue and expenditure
report described in subdivision (a) by the required deadline, the
department may withhold MHSA funds until the reports are submitted.
