Latest California Healthline Stories
Data, Oversight Cited as Central Needs To Improve State’s Mental Health Services
Ten years after California voters passed Proposition 63 and created the Mental Health Services Act, the Little Hoover Commission is looking at how well that act is working and what still needs to be done to make it better.
How Jail Survey Affects Health Care
The expansion of the Medi-Cal program will be keenly felt by Californians in county jails or on probation, many of whom have not had access to coverage before. One researcher said the transitional time for inmates is a perfect opportunity to gain coverage.
Sonoma Center Appeals Decertification
Sonoma Developmental Center officials filed a formal appeal with the California Department of Public Health over the state agency’s decertification of the center’s intermediate care facilities.
From Promise to Reality: Substance Use Disorders and the ACA
Before the Affordable Care Act fully took effect, HHS boasted that the law would foster “one of the largest expansions of … substance use disorder coverage in a generation.” Will that coverage expansion translate into access to care or will barriers prevail?
Steps Forward Are a Decent Start for Mental Health Spending, Experts Say
California’s spending this year on some mental health programs brings it closer to funding levels set by the decade-old Mental Health Services Act. Still, lawmakers at a recent hearing voiced concern about heightened need for services in the state.
Appeals Court Reverses Lawsuit Ruling, Requires Mental Health Coverage
Insurers must provide a broad range of mental health coverage, according to a ruling from the state Court of Appeal that reversed a Superior Court decision.
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.