Duties of Local Behavioral Health Boards & Commissions
I. Duties WIC 5604.2
The local behavioral health board shall: (WIC 5604.2(a))
1. Review and evaluate the community’s public behavioral health needs, services, facilities, and special problems in any facility within the county or jurisdiction where mental health or substance use disorder evaluations or services are being provided, including, but not limited to, schools, emergency departments, and psychiatric facilities.
2. (A) Review any county agreements entered into pursuant to Section 5650. (B) The local behavioral health board may make recommendations to the governing body regarding concerns identified within these agreements.
3. (A) Advise the governing body and the local behavioral health director as to any aspect of the local behavioral health program. (B) Local behavioral health boards may request assistance from the local patients’ rights advocates when reviewing and advising on mental health or substance use disorder evaluations or services provided in public facilities with limited access.
4. (A) Review and approve the procedures used to ensure citizen and professional involvement at all stages of the planning process. ((B) Involvement shall include individuals with lived experience of mental illness, substance use disorder, or both, and their families, community members, advocacy organizations, and behavioral health professionals. It shall also include other professionals who interact with individuals living with mental illnesses or substance use disorders on a daily basis, such as education, emergency services, employment, health care, housing, public safety, local business owners, social services, older adults, transportation, and veterans.
5. Submit an annual report to the governing body on the needs and performance of the county's behavioral health system.
6. (A) Review and make recommendations on applicants for the appointment of a local director of behavioral health services.
(B) The board shall be included in the selection process prior to the vote of the governing body.
7. Review and comment on the county's performance outcome data and communicate its findings to the California Behavioral Health Planning Council.
8. This part does not limit the ability of the governing body to transfer additional duties or authority to a behavioral health board.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that, as part of its duties pursuant to subdivision (a), the board shall assess the impact of the realignment of services from the state to the county, on services delivered to clients and on the local community.
1. Review and evaluate the community’s public behavioral health needs, services, facilities, and special problems in any facility within the county or jurisdiction where mental health or substance use disorder evaluations or services are being provided, including, but not limited to, schools, emergency departments, and psychiatric facilities.
2. (A) Review any county agreements entered into pursuant to Section 5650. (B) The local behavioral health board may make recommendations to the governing body regarding concerns identified within these agreements.
3. (A) Advise the governing body and the local behavioral health director as to any aspect of the local behavioral health program. (B) Local behavioral health boards may request assistance from the local patients’ rights advocates when reviewing and advising on mental health or substance use disorder evaluations or services provided in public facilities with limited access.
4. (A) Review and approve the procedures used to ensure citizen and professional involvement at all stages of the planning process. ((B) Involvement shall include individuals with lived experience of mental illness, substance use disorder, or both, and their families, community members, advocacy organizations, and behavioral health professionals. It shall also include other professionals who interact with individuals living with mental illnesses or substance use disorders on a daily basis, such as education, emergency services, employment, health care, housing, public safety, local business owners, social services, older adults, transportation, and veterans.
5. Submit an annual report to the governing body on the needs and performance of the county's behavioral health system.
6. (A) Review and make recommendations on applicants for the appointment of a local director of behavioral health services.
(B) The board shall be included in the selection process prior to the vote of the governing body.
7. Review and comment on the county's performance outcome data and communicate its findings to the California Behavioral Health Planning Council.
8. This part does not limit the ability of the governing body to transfer additional duties or authority to a behavioral health board.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that, as part of its duties pursuant to subdivision (a), the board shall assess the impact of the realignment of services from the state to the county, on services delivered to clients and on the local community.
II. Duties WIC 5963.03 - BHSA Related Duties
BHSA (Behavioral Health Services Act) Duties (WIC 5963.03) (Italicized sections are agency responsibilities (not BHB))
(b) (1) The behavioral health board established pursuant to Section 5604 shall conduct a public hearing on the draft integrated plan and annual updates at the close of the 30-day comment period required by subdivision (a).
(2) Each plan and update shall include any substantive written recommendations* for revisions.
(3) The adopted integrated plan or update shall summarize and analyze the recommended revisions.
(4) The behavioral health board shall review the adopted integrated plan or update and make recommendations to the local mental health agency, local substance use disorder agency, or local behavioral health agency, as applicable, for revisions.
*(5) The local mental health agency, local substance use disorder agency, or local behavioral health agency, as applicable, shall provide an annual report of written explanations to the local governing body and the State Department of Health Care Services for any substantive [**see (d) below] recommendations made by the local behavioral health board that are not included in the final integrated plan or update.
*(c)(2) In preparing annual and intermittent updates: (A) A county [Behavioral Health Agency] is not required to comply with the stakeholder process described in subdivisions (a) and (b). (B) A county shall post on its internet website all updates to its integrated plan and a summary and justification of the changes made by the updates for a 30-day comment period prior to the effective date of the updates.
**(d) For purposes of this section “Substantive recommendations made by the local behavioral health board” means any recommendation that is brought before the board and approved by a majority vote of the membership present at a public hearing of the local behavioral health board that has established its quorum.
(b) (1) The behavioral health board established pursuant to Section 5604 shall conduct a public hearing on the draft integrated plan and annual updates at the close of the 30-day comment period required by subdivision (a).
(2) Each plan and update shall include any substantive written recommendations* for revisions.
(3) The adopted integrated plan or update shall summarize and analyze the recommended revisions.
(4) The behavioral health board shall review the adopted integrated plan or update and make recommendations to the local mental health agency, local substance use disorder agency, or local behavioral health agency, as applicable, for revisions.
*(5) The local mental health agency, local substance use disorder agency, or local behavioral health agency, as applicable, shall provide an annual report of written explanations to the local governing body and the State Department of Health Care Services for any substantive [**see (d) below] recommendations made by the local behavioral health board that are not included in the final integrated plan or update.
*(c)(2) In preparing annual and intermittent updates: (A) A county [Behavioral Health Agency] is not required to comply with the stakeholder process described in subdivisions (a) and (b). (B) A county shall post on its internet website all updates to its integrated plan and a summary and justification of the changes made by the updates for a 30-day comment period prior to the effective date of the updates.
**(d) For purposes of this section “Substantive recommendations made by the local behavioral health board” means any recommendation that is brought before the board and approved by a majority vote of the membership present at a public hearing of the local behavioral health board that has established its quorum.