Legislative Advocacy

CALBHB/C's Governing Board supports legislation and budget items in response to issues reported from CA's 59 local mental/behavioral health boards & commissions, providing written and in-person advocacy. Join with us by writing to your legislators after reviewing "Understanding your Role" (below).

Understanding your Role

As Individuals: Individuals can and should write to their state legislators! Legislators especially appreciate hearing from residents within their districts.
As Advisory Bodies: Local mental/behavioral health boards/commissions are in an advisory role. In most counties, legislative advocacy is handled through the Board of Supervisors / Executive Office. Boards/commissions may wish to recommend specific legislation to their Governing Body (in most cases Board of Supervisors) and MH/BH Director (the BH Directors also advocate through their statewide association, County Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA)).

Sample Letters

Find your Representative (Email Form, Phone or Fax)

AB 32: Telehealth: Expanding Healthcare Accessibility
Sample Letter Fact Sheet

SB 224: Pupil instruction: Mental health education
Sample Letter Fact Sheet

H.R. 432 (Federal): Mental Health Access Improvement Act
Advocacy Link (National Council for Behavioral Health)

Budget Advocacy

CALBHB/C's Governing Board is advocating for:

$750 Million for Behavioral Health Infrastructure
Fact Sheet Coalition Letter

$250 Million for Rehabilitation of "Board & Care" Facilities
Letter to Senate HHS Subcommittee 3 Proposal & Analysis, P. 13

$4.7 Million for establishing a Peer Support Specialist Certification Program in Medi-Cal and Drawing Down Millions in Federal Matching Funds Coalition Letter

2020 Legislative & Budget Advocacy

PASSED! AB-2377: Adult Residential Facilities - Closures
Sample Letter Legislative Analysis

PASSED! AB-1766: Adult Residential Facilities - Data Collection
Sample Letter

PASSED! SB-803: Peer Provider Certification
Sample Letter Legislative Analysis

PASSED! SB-855: Mental Health as a Medical Necessity
Sample Letter Fact Sheet & Background

Federal Appropriations and Bills supported by CALBHB/C Leadership Link to Summaries

1. Emergency Appropriation of $38.5 Billion for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment
2. Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Act of 2020 (S. 3312)
3. National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 (H.R. 4194)

Additional State Bills supported by CALBHB/C Leadership - No recent committee activity.

1. Adult Residential Facilities (ARF) (Board & Cares) for adults with Serious Mental Illness

AB 2589: No Place Like Home Program: Permanent Supportive Housing - Link to Bill Sample Letter
AB-2377: Adult Residential Facilities - Closures - Sample Letter Legislative Analysis
SB 1259: Task Force - Link to Bill Sample Letter

2. COVID 19 Emergency Appropriations: Behavioral Health Safety Net Coalition Letter, May 2020
2. Workforce - AB-565 (Maienschein) Public health workforce planning.