AB 59: Mental health services: assisted outpatient treatment.

Existing law, the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Demonstration Project Act of 2002, known as Lauras Law, until January 1, 2017, grants each county the authority to offer certain assisted outpatient treatment services for their residents by adoption of a resolution or through the county budget process and by making a finding that no mental health program, as specified, may be reduced as a result of implementation. Under that law, participating counties are required to provide prescribed assisted outpatient services, including a service planning and delivery process, that are client-directed and employ psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery principles. Existing law authorizes participating counties to pay for the services provided from moneys distributed to the counties from various continuously appropriated funds, including the Local Revenue Fund and the Mental Health Services Fund when included in a county plan, as specified. Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to submit a report and evaluation of all counties implementing any component of these provisions to the Governor and the Legislature by July 1, 2015.

This bill would extend the operation of the program until January 1, 2022, and would delete that reporting requirement. By extending the authorization to pay for the services using moneys from various continuously appropriated funds, the bill would make an appropriation.

Existing law requires a county that operates an assisted outpatient treatment program pursuant to these provisions to provide data to the department, and requires the department to report to the Legislature on or before May 1 of each year based on that data, as specified.

This bill would additionally require the department to report that information to the Governor.