California 2017-2018 Regular Session Status: Passed Assembly

AB 254 — Local Educational Agency Behavioral Health Integration Pilot Program.

Last action — In committee: Held under submission.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2017-2018 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Assembly” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law provides that specified services provided by local educational agencies (LEAs) are covered Medi-Cal benefits, including, but not limited to, mental health evaluations, mental health education, and mental health and counseling services. Existing law provides that an LEA may be reimbursed for the provision of those benefits on a fee-for-service basis through the Medi-Cal billing option for LEAs. This bill would require the department to establish the Local Educational Agency Behavioral Health Integration Pilot Program for the purpose of improving the behavioral health outcomes of students by improving the delivery of direct behavioral health services, as defined. The bill would require the department to encourage eligible participants to participate in the program, to provide technical assistance to eligible participants, to develop a request for a proposals process to determine funding allocation, and to formulate any necessary Medi-Cal State Plan amendments, and award grants pursuant to these provisions. The bill would require an LEA receiving funding through the program to use funds received to undertake specified activities in support of the program, including, among others, providing, or building capacity for the provision of, direct behavioral health services to all students with a demonstrated need, with a concerted effort toward improving the delivery of underutilized services to students enrolled in the Medi-Cal program. The bill would authorize an LEA to provide direct behavioral health services through direct employment of health care providers, or by contracting, as specified, with health care providers or school health centers, as defined. The bill would provide for implementation of the program to the extent that any necessary federal approvals have been obtained. The bill would require the department, upon termination of the program and depletion of appropriated funds, to report to the Legislature, as specified, on the outcomes of the program and the need for funding school-based health services and their connection to early behavioral health outcomes. 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, funds a system of county mental health plans for the provision of mental health services, as specified. The MHSA provides that it may be amended by the Legislature by a 23 vote of each house as long as the amendment is consistent with and furthers the intent of the MHSA. Existing law establishes the Mental Health Services Fund (MHSF) , continuously appropriated to and administered by the department, to fund specified county mental health programs, including prevention and early intervention programs and programs implemented under the Adult and Older Adult Mental Health System of Care Act. The MHSA authorizes the payment of administrative costs of the state from the fund in an amount not greater than 5% of the annual total deposited in the fund and otherwise specifies the distribution of moneys in the fund. To implement the pilot program, this bill would appropriate $10 million per year for the fiscal years from the 2018–19 fiscal year through and including the 2021–22 fiscal year to the department, subject to availability, from the MHSF moneys reserved for administrative costs described above. The bill would provide that funds not fully expended in a single fiscal year shall be available for the purpose of implementing this article in any one, or across one or more of, subsequent fiscal years, as specified. The bill would require the program to operate for 4 years from the date of that appropriation. By changing the use of the reserved administrative funds from that approved by the voters, the bill would amend the MHSA.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. In committee: Held under submission.

  2. In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  3. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 12). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 5). Re-referred to Com. on ED.

  5. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  6. Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and ED.

  7. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  8. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 64. Noes 9. Page 1995.)

  9. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  10. Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 52. Noes 24. Page 1776.)

  11. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  12. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 5.) (May 26).

  13. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  14. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  15. Read second time and amended.

  16. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (April 26).

  17. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 13. Noes 1.) (April 18). Re-referred to Com. on ED.

  18. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  19. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.

  20. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  21. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.

  22. Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and ED.

  23. From printer. May be heard in committee March 3.

  24. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

  • Thurmond · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on · 4 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Thurmond

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Votes

Placed on suspense file

Passed 7 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 6000
Democratic 1000
Total 7000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Bates — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Lara — Yea
Hill — Yea
Nielsen — Yea
Beall — Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

AB 254 THURMOND Assembly Third Reading

Passed 64 Yea · 9 Nay · 7 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 48603
Democratic 15100
Republican 1204
Total 64907
% of votes cast 80%11%0%9%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Acosta — Yea
Bigelow — Not Voting
Bloom — Yea
Brough — Nay
Maienschein — Yea
Medina — Yea
Obernolte — Nay
Ridley-Thomas — Yea
Steinorth — Yea
Voepel — Yea
Wood — Yea
Eggman — Not Voting
Cunningham — Yea
Dababneh — Yea
Daly — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Frazier — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Gloria — Yea
Gomez — Yea
Rubio — Yea
Harper — Nay
Holden — Yea
Salas — Yea
Bocanegra — Yea
Burke — Yea
Chau — Yea
Gray — Yea
Chiu — Yea
Gonzalez Fletcher — Yea
Kiley — Nay
Levine — Yea
Low — Yea
Mathis — Nay
Mayes — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Baker — Yea
Chu — Yea
Chávez — Yea
Cooley — Yea
Cooper — Yea
Melendez — Not Voting
Mullin — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
O'Donnell — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Thurmond — Yea
Ting — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Weber — Yea
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Travis Allen — Nay
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Nay
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Not Voting
Choi, Steven S. Republican Not Voting
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay
Flora, Heath Republican Not Voting
Gallagher, James Republican Nay
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended.

Passed 12 Yea · 5 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 8300
Democratic 4100
Republican 0100
Total 12500
% of votes cast 71%29%0%0%
How each member voted (17)
Member Party Vote
Bloom — Yea
Brough — Nay
Obernolte — Nay
Friedman — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Gray — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Gonzalez Fletcher — Yea
Bocanegra — Yea
Bigelow — Nay
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Nay
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Education]

Passed 13 Yea · 1 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 3000
Unaffiliated 9001
Republican 1100
Total 13101
% of votes cast 87%7%0%7%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
McCarty — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Thurmond — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Burke — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Ridley-Thomas — Not Voting
Rodriguez — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Wood — Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Nay
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety healthcare education
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 254 do?
Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law provides that specified services provided by local educational agencies (LEAs) are covered Medi-Cal benefits, including, but not limited to, mental health evaluations, mental health education, and mental health and counseling services. Existing law provides that an LEA may be reimbursed for the provision of those benefits on a fee-for-service basis through the Medi-Cal billing option for LEAs. This bill would require the department to establish the Local Educational Agency Behavioral Health Integration Pilot Program for the purpose of improving the behavioral health outcomes of students by improving the delivery of direct behavioral health services, as defined. The bill would require the department to encourage eligible participants to participate in the program, to provide technical assistance to eligible participants, to develop a request for a proposals process to determine funding allocation, and to formulate any necessary Medi-Cal State Plan amendments, and award grants pursuant to these provisions. The bill would require an LEA receiving funding through the program to use funds received to undertake specified activities in support of the program, including, among others, providing, or building capacity for the provision of, direct behavioral health services to all students with a demonstrated need, with a concerted effort toward improving the delivery of underutilized services to students enrolled in the Medi-Cal program. The bill would authorize an LEA to provide direct behavioral health services through direct employment of health care providers, or by contracting, as specified, with health care providers or school health centers, as defined. The bill would provide for implementation of the program to the extent that any necessary federal approvals have been obtained. The bill would require the department, upon termination of the program and depletion of appropriated funds, to report to the Legislature, as specified, on the outcomes of the program and the need for funding school-based health services and their connection to early behavioral health outcomes. 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, funds a system of county mental health plans for the provision of mental health services, as specified. The MHSA provides that it may be amended by the Legislature by a 23 vote of each house as long as the amendment is consistent with and furthers the intent of the MHSA. Existing law establishes the Mental Health Services Fund (MHSF) , continuously appropriated to and administered by the department, to fund specified county mental health programs, including prevention and early intervention programs and programs implemented under the Adult and Older Adult Mental Health System of Care Act. The MHSA authorizes the payment of administrative costs of the state from the fund in an amount not greater than 5% of the annual total deposited in the fund and otherwise specifies the distribution of moneys in the fund. To implement the pilot program, this bill would appropriate $10 million per year for the fiscal years from the 2018–19 fiscal year through and including the 2021–22 fiscal year to the department, subject to availability, from the MHSF moneys reserved for administrative costs described above. The bill would provide that funds not fully expended in a single fiscal year shall be available for the purpose of implementing this article in any one, or across one or more of, subsequent fiscal years, as specified. The bill would require the program to operate for 4 years from the date of that appropriation. By changing the use of the reserved administrative funds from that approved by the voters, the bill would amend the MHSA.
Who sponsors AB 254?
AB 254 is sponsored by Thurmond.
What is the current status of AB 254?
This bill died with 2017-2018 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Assembly” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 254?
Track AB 254 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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