Bill Text: CA AB480 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 480 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Mental health: older adults.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-08-30 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB480 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB480-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 480

Introduced by Assembly Member Salas

February 12, 2019

An act to add Article 5 (commencing with Section 5816) to Part 3 of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to mental health.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 480, as introduced, Salas. Mental health: older adults.

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 continuously appropriated Mental Health Services Fund to fund various county mental health programs, including the Adult and Older Adult Mental Health System of Care Act. Existing law authorizes the MHSA to be amended by a 2/3 vote of the Legislature if the amendments are consistent with, and further the purposes of, the MHSA, and also permits the Legislature to clarify procedures and terms of the MHSA by a majority vote.

This bill would establish within the State Department of Health Care Services an Older Adult Mental Health Services Administrator to oversee mental health services for older adults. The bill would require that position to be funded with administrative funds reserved to the department from the Mental Health Services Fund. The bill would also state the intent of the Legislature to include provisions in the bill that, among other things, increase service integration for older adults receiving mental health services funded by the Mental Health Services Fund.

This bill would declare that it clarifies procedures and terms of the Mental Health Services Act.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

It is the intent of the Legislature to include in this act, in addition to Section 2, provisions that do both of the following:

(a) Increase service integration and standardize needs assessment and data reporting requirements as it relates to older adults receiving mental health services funded by the Mental Health Services Fund.

(b) Establish and prioritize standardized geriatrics training for mental health professionals that accounts for the rich cultural and linguistic differences present in the older adult population and the diversity of the older adult population represented by generational cohort, race and ethnicity, gender identification, and sexual orientation, and that addresses barriers and stigma experienced by older adult populations that have been historically underrepresented.