California Association of Local Behavioral Health Boards & Commissions
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      • Hospitals
      • Jails & Prisons
      • Laura's Law
      • Law Enforcement
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        • LGBTQ+ Definitions and Acronyms
      • LPS Act
      • Navigator Programs
      • Parity
      • Patients' Rights
      • Peer Supports
      • Psychiatric Advance Directives
    • News/Issues Q - Z >
      • Stigma
      • Seniors
      • Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
      • Suicide
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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

  1. As Individuals: Individuals can and should write to their state legislators! Legislators especially appreciate hearing from residents within their districts.
  2. 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) 

Access

  • SB 316 Same Day Access for 2 Visits Sample Letter    Fact Sheet
  • SB 1337 Coordinated Care 1st-Episode Psychosis Sample Letter  Analysis​

Performance

  • SB 970: MHSA Outcome Data Sample Letter   Link to Bill

Workforce

  • SB 964: Behavioral Health Workforce Sample Letter    Link to Bill​
  • SB 1229: Children & Youth BH Workforce  Sample Letter   Link to Bill

Additional Positions

  • H.R. 432 / S. 828: Mental Health Access Improvement Act          Advocacy Link (National Council for Behavioral Health) 

2022 Legislative & Budget Advocacy

AB 32 Telehealth - Passed
Sample Letter   Fact Sheet

Medication Access Trailer Bill - Not included in Budget
Sample Letter   Fact Sheet
​
AB 738: Veterans Required on Mental Health Boards - Passed                    
CALBHB/C Letter of Opposition 

​​AB 552 Integrated School-Based Behavioral Health Partnership​ - Vetoed​
​Sample Letter    Fact Sheet   Senate Floor Alert 08.17.2022

2021 Legislative & Budget Advocacy

Historic Investment in Behavioral Health with 2021-22 Budget, CA Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies, County Behavioral Health Directors Association CA ​July 8, 2021 Press Release

Federal Parity DOL Authority

Coalition Letter

AB 686: Community-Based Behavioral Health Outcomes and Accountability Review.
Sample Letter      Fact Sheet

AB 816:  Homelessness Accountability - PASSED!
Sample Letter    Fact Sheet

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

​
$2.455 Billion  for Behavioral Health Infrastructure
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​​
  • SB 1259:  Task Force - Link to Bill   Sample Letter​
2. COVID 19 Emergency Appropriations: Behavioral Health Safety Net Coalition Letter, May 2020
3. Workforce - AB-565 (Maienschein) Public health workforce planning.    *
Draft Letter to Support PAD Multi-County MHSA Innovation Project

OFFICE

717 K STREET, SUITE 427
SACRAMENTO, CA 95814

mission

cALBHB/C supports the work of california's 59 local mental/ behavioral health boards and commissions by providing resources, training, and opportunities for communication and statewide advocacy.

Local boards are responsible for reviewing community mental health needs, services, facilities and special problems, and serve in an advisory capacity to local governing bodies and local mental/behavioral health directors per CA Welfare and Institutions Code 5604.2.
Donations are welcome. CALBHB/C is a nonprofit organization.