Page 19 - Jan_Feb 2022 Newsletter.pub

Legislative Update for 2022
~ By: Paul Yoder, Lobbyist

Governor Gavin Newsom submitted his 2022-2023 state budget proposal. California
now has a projected surplus of $45.7 billion, which includes $20.6 billion in for
discretionary purposes, after subtracting $16.1 billion in additional Proposition 98
for K-14 education, and $9 billion in reserve deposits and supplemental pension
payments. CSAP’s state legislative advocates, SYASL Inc., have provided highlights
from the CSAP perspective, which include - but are not limited to - the following.

Have thoughts on any of these suggestions. Have a suggestion that you would
like to make? Just email Paul Yoder of SYASL at paul@syaslpartners.com.

Implementing a 9-8-8 Behavioral/Mental Health Crisis Hotline. $7.5 million ($6 million ongoing) and 10
positions to implement the new federally mandated 9-8-8 call system to increase the ease and accessibility
for those experiencing a behavioral or mental health crisis. Those who dial 9-8-8 will be directed to 1 of
the 13 existing Lifeline Call Centers across the state. These centers already provide immediate assistance
with mental distress, and the additional funding will assist those needing services to receive help more
efficiently. The budget includes funding for call handling equipment so existing crisis hotline centers have
the resources needed to process additional 9-8-8 calls and coordinate and transfer calls with no loss of
information between the 9-8-8 and 9-1-1 systems. In 2022, the California Health and Human Services
Agency will develop a plan to support connections between prevention efforts like warm-lines and peer
support services, 9-8-8 mental health crisis call centers, and mobile crisis response at the local level.

Behavioral Health Bridge Housing. $1.5 billion over two years for additional housing supports to those
with behavioral health needs. Funding ($1 billion in 2022-23 and $500 million in 2023-24) will be
administered through DHCS’ Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program and can be used to
purchase and install tiny homes and to provide time-limited operational supports in these tiny homes or in
other bridge housing settings including existing assisted living settings. The budget also references a new
strategy the Administration will develop to address the stabilization and treatment of people with acute
behavioral health challenges. The strategy will aim to provide community-based care aimed at preventing
institutionalization and incarceration through connecting effective treatment programs with safe and
supportive housing.

Workforce. There are behavioral health workforce investments in the Governor’s $1.7 billion Care
Economy Workforce proposal, including funding to recruit and train 25,000 new community health
workers as well as additional psychiatric providers. This investment will be over three years in care

economy workforce development across both the Labor and Workforce Development Agency (Labor
Agency) and California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) that will create more innovative and
accessible opportunities to recruit, train, hire, and advance an ethnically and culturally inclusive health
and human services workforce, with improved diversity, wages, and health equity outcomes. Specifically,

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY Page 19 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022