California Senate Budget Subcommittee 3 DMH Budget Actions

California Senate Budget Subcommittee 3

DMH Budget Actions - 3/23/04

The following information has been provided by the California Mental Health Directors Association:

The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Health, Human Services, Labor and Veterans Affairs held its first hearing yesterday on Department of Mental Health items, and took the following actions on the Governor’s January budget proposal:

	Rejected the proposed elimination of $20 million in funding for the Children’s System of Care (there was quite a show of support from families once again).
	Rejected the proposed caps on state hospital beds for Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) and Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGI) patients.
	Referred the issue of AB 3632 funding to the Senate Budget Subcommittee #1 (Education) (the issue will be heard on April 26).
	Also referred the issue of funding for the Early Mental Health Initiative to Senate Budget Subcommittee #1.
	Deleted the funding requested for DMH staff to write language for the EPSDT waiver (as part of Medi-Cal reform), and referred the issue to the Health and Human Services Policy Committee "without prejudice." Also directed DMH to be much more inclusive in who they involve in future meetings to discuss this issue.
	Regarding rebasing the state maximum allowances (SMAs) for Medi-Cal specialty mental health services, directed DMH to convene an inclusive work group to further discuss the viability and consequences of other options, and to report back to the Subcommittee by May 3. The issue was held open until then.
	Regarding additional EPSDT audits, directed DMH to provide the Subcommittee with an audit selection protocol and comprehensive audit criteria by the May 3 hearing. The issue was kept open pending receipt of further information.
	Kept open the issue of funding for Medi-Cal managed care pending receipt of the May revision budget proposal.

Rejected the Administration’s proposal to extend authority for emergency regulations for the Medi-Cal specialty mental health managed care program for an additional two years. Instead, adopted placeholder trailer bill language to require DMH to conduct new public hearings -- to include discussion of new federal regulations -- and to sunset emergency regulation authority on June 30, 2005.

Last Updated on 04/14/04 webmaster@namiscc.org

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