Latest California Healthline Stories
State Lawmakers Want To Overhaul Mental Health Programs
Ratan Bhavnani of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Linda Boyd and Kathleen Piché of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson and Sen. Darrell Steinberg spoke with California Healthline about the legislative and local efforts to change the state’s approach to handling mental illness.
‘Gun Violence Restraining Order’ Idea May Get Traction, Experts Predict
In the wake of the Isla Vista shooting spree, proposed legislation to give family and friends authority to request a “gun violence restraining order” in California may have a better chance at success than previous legislative efforts at curbing gun violence, according to mental health experts.
Bill Aiming To Integrate Mental, Physical Health Care Wins Committee Approval
A Senate committee voted unanimously yesterday to change California’s regulations that prevent billing for mental and physical health care treatments on the same day in rural areas.
Mental Health Program Shows Success
Californians with mental illnesses who participate in county-run Full Service Partnership programs are more likely to move into independent living situations, according to a study published last week.
Minimal Fallout Expected From State Auditor’s Mental Health Spending Report
A state auditor’s report criticizing the way California agencies and government officials have overseen spending of mental health funding may accelerate changes already underway, according to experts.
Panel OKs Mental Health Parity Bill
The Assembly health committee’s approval of a mental health reform bill late in the legislative session gives the measure a head start on the next session.
No Diversion of Mental Health Money
A Senate budget subcommittee last week rejected a plan to divert roughly $34 million a year for mental health services to a CalWORKs (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids) fund.
The California Department of Finance wanted to redistribute realignment money so half the funds currently going to mental health services would instead be shared equally between mental health and CalWORKs starting in 2015-16.
“The realignment funds going into the CalWORKs maintenance of effort subaccount are capped at $1.1 billion, at which point any additional funds, or growth over that amount, are routed to the mental health subaccount,” said Judy Bowman from the Department of Finance, at last week’s Senate Budget Subcommittee for Health and Human Services hearing. “This … would adjust that structure so that those growth funds … would instead be split evenly between the mental health subaccount and the CalWORKs maintenance of effort subaccount.”
Concern over Mental Health Provider Shortage
Legislation introduced last week would expand the scope of practice for nurse practitioners, optometrists and pharmacists. Separate legislation looks to expand scope of practice for physician assistants, as well.
The bills hope to address the dearth of primary care providers in California by allowing some mid-level health care providers to do more. With the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medi-Cal and introduction of the state exchange starting in 2014, there is expected to be a much greater need for primary care services.
Some mental health providers are citing a similar access concern for mental health professionals. Since the state’s essential health benefits include mental health coverage, the demand for mental health services is going to take a big leap, according to psychologist John Caccavale, executive director of the National Alliance of Professional Psychology Providers.
Stakeholders See California as National Model for Revamping Mental Health Care Services
Kirsten Barlow of the California Mental Health Directors Association, Sonoma County Mental Health Director Michael Kennedy, Rusty Selix of the California Council of Community Mental Health Agencies and Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg spoke with California Healthline about California’s experience revamping its mental health care system.
Should Calif. Be Model for National Mental Health System?
We asked mental health experts and lawmakers how California and the nation should respond to the public debate triggered by the killing of 26 people at an elementary school last month. Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg has urged the White House to use California’s mental health system as a national model.