Public Policy Priorities and Opportunities for Partnership
The California Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA) aims to ensure accessibility of quality, cost-effective behavioral health care through advocacy and leadership. Their mission focuses on advocating for public behavioral health systems and promoting social justice principles. CBHDA also engages in lobbying activities and addresses community problems related to behavioral health issues. The association's priority areas for 2017-18 include protecting the Affordable Care Act, expanding services for individuals in crisis, increasing financial resources for children and youth, and fostering compliance with Medicaid regulations.
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Public Policy Priorities and Opportunities for Partnership Kirsten Barlow, MSW Executive Director California Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA) kbarlow@cbhda.org www.cbhda.org 1 June 2018
Our Mission & Purpose Mission: Assure the accessibility of quality, cost-effective, culturally competent behavioral health care for the people of the State of California by providing leadership, advocacy, and support to public behavioral health programs. Purpose: To advocate, using recovery and social justice principles, for the public behavioral health system and its delivery of care to persons experiencing behavioral health issues in California. To promote the reduction of individual and community problems related to unaddressed behavioral health issues. To convene behavioral health professionals for the purpose of informing public policy and improving the delivery of behavioral health services. 2
Social Welfare Organization (501)(c)(4) An organization not organized for profit operated exclusively to promote social welfare, which means: To operate primarily to further the common good and general welfare of the people of the community (such as by bringing about civic betterment and social improvements) Seeking legislation germane to the organization's programs is a permissible means of attaining social welfare purposes. Lobbying is permitted as a primary activity of the organization Must provide notice to members of percentage of dues paid that are applicable to lobbying activities (or pay a proxy tax) The promotion of social welfare does not include direct or indirect participation or intervention in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. However, a section 501(c)(4) social welfare organization may engage in some political activities, so long as that is not its primary activity. Lobbying is activity in support of or in opposition to legislation. Political activity is about supporting or opposing a candidate for elective office. 3
Association Membership The head of each local behavioral health authority 58 counties City of Berkeley Tri-Cities (in LA Co.) CBHDA Officers 2017-18 President Yvonnia Brown, Merced County President Elect Dean True, Shasta County Secretary-Treasurer Annual dues are assessed by the Association to support its operational costs Amie Miller, Monterey County Past President 4 Dennis Koch, Madera County
CBHDA Priority Areas 2017-18 Protect and inform the future of the Affordable Care Act Increase capacity for individuals in crisis Expand financial resources for Medi-Cal behavioral health services for children and youth, including new foster care reforms. Expand behavioral health services for justice-involved individuals Expand availability of housing for individuals with behavioral health needs Foster compliance with Medicaid Managed Care Final Rule & Parity implementation. Support efforts to increase resources for expanding the Behavioral Health workforce.
CBHDA (Co-) Sponsored Legislation AB 2043 (Arambula) establishes a Family Urgent Response System to provide a hotline and mobile response for foster families, youth. AB 2861 (Salas) adds telehealth as a billable substance use disorder service in the Drug Medi-Cal program. SB 688 (Moorlach) would require counties annual MHSA revenue and expenditure reports to be based on generally accepted accounting principles. SB 1010 (Beall) requires Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to create a supportive housing program for parolees with mental illness who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Other Active State Legislation AB 2486 (McCarty), supported by CBHDA, would require drug manufacturers of Rx. in Medi-Cal to provide for a state rebate of $0.01 per milligram of active opioid ingredient. Revenues would fund opioid prevention and rehabilitation. SB 1268 (Bradford), supported by CBHDA, would prohibit the practice of patient brokering, or selling patients to addiction treatment centers in exchange for financial or other benefits. SB 1004 (Wiener), which CBHDA opposes unless amended, would require new priorities for MHSA PEI (including childhood trauma, partnerships w/ colleges, early psychosis/mood disorder detection). SB 906 (Beall), supported by CBHDA, would establish a peer support specialist certification program for mental health and substance use.
State Budget 2018-19: Big Ticket Items Paying counties back $254 million State General Fund (GF) for mental health special education services they provided over a decade ago. (County elected officials will have discretion on use of these funds). Providing $148.31 million GF for county implementation of the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System Waiver. Putting No Place Like Home on November 2018 Ballot. If it passes, up to $140 million in MHSA funds per year will be used for housing bond debt service, construction/rehab of supportive housing. Investing $100 million GF for diversion programs to reduce the number of individuals found Incompetent to Stand Trial on felony charges in 15 counties with highest referrals to state hospitals.
State Budget, cont. Investing $50 million GF for AB 2034/Full Service Partnership model services for individuals with mental illness who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Increasing funding by $55 million GF to support psychiatric education programs in rural parts of the state. Coalition letter, including CBHDA and NAMI-CA, to support the Legislature use State General Funds (not MHSA) for: $20 million for Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors in hospital emergency departments $15 million to support the All Children Thrive program 9
First Annual Legislative Score Card: Making Mental Health Political A new tool to show support for behavioral heath legislation and rank policy makers in our State Capitol in a measured way. 10
Other Opportunities to Partner Take legislators on a tour of your local MH programs especially September through December. Get to know their district office staff and invite them to public meetings. Visit legislators and key capitol staff in Sacramento. Jointly issue letters to legislators with proposals or concerns. Help educate new leaders and staff following elections. 15
Thank You! For more information: www.cbhda.org Key Policy Areas Legislation Key Policy Areas State Budget 16
