Randall Hagar
Legislative Advocate
Psychiatric Physician's Alliance of California (PPAC)
Shout out. A great big shout out to eight UC Davis residents in training, showing up big by participating in the PPAC Annual Advocacy Day on May 3 (which was a resounding success)! You know who you are! Thank you!
Advocacy Day Keynote speaker and mental health champion extraordinaire Senator Susan Eggman (D - Stockton) provided a critical analysis of shortcomings in mental health care delivery. She also described solutions in her 8-bill package now successfully moving forward, including potential plans for a mental health ballot initiative.
Political Consultant Jim Gross, who has worked with psychiatrists for over 15 years, provided high level insights on the political climate affecting mental health reforms to Advocacy Day attendees, including potential future ballot measures.
Virtual legislator visits. Advocacy savvy psychiatrists team up with those newer to the process to make visits. Fortunately, PPAC has many psychiatrists with many years of experience educating legislators and their staff. PPAC expertise and effectiveness is being passed on in this way. The approach and strategy for each legislative office varied, generally covering changes to the grave disability standard, SUD training scholarships for primary care physicians, and loosening of prior authorization standards for psychotropic medications.
Senate CARE Court bill SB 1338 prevailed, moving successfully out of two policy committees right before an end of April deadline. Members of the committees believed that the bill deserved to move forward, despite stiff opposition from a segment of stakeholders who claimed it was a massive infringement on patient’s rights. The vote in the eleven member Senate Judiciary Committee was 10-0; and the Senate Health Committee 10-0. The large ACLU, Disability Rights California coalition was not invincible in the end. Next stop Senate Appropriations Committee. Note: this bill is co-authored by Senator Eggman.
Assembly CARE Court bill AB 2830 a competing bill in the Assembly was pulled from several public hearings. Which means there was no opportunity for testimony, and no vote was taken. The deadline having passed for action, it’s not clear whether this bill is dead or awaiting resuscitation using rule waivers or other procedural maneuvers.
PPAC Legislative Agenda passes critical policy committee hurdles with flying colors. See below.
Note the following are bills authored by Senator Susan Eggman. They are co-sponsored by PPAC. It’s an extraordinary package. With extraordinary coordination in demands for developing testimony, securing psychiatrists and other experts to deliver it, working with author’s staff, and conferring with committee staff on various issues including potential amendments.
SB 929 - MHSA Services Data Collection
Votes: HEALTH COMMITTEE 11-0
Status: on APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE SUSPENSE FILE
SB 965 – Conservatorships, Hearsay Evidence, Medical Record, Patient History
Votes: JUDICIARY 11-0
Status: THIRD READING FILE
SB 970 - Mental Health Services Act Outcomes Reporting
Votes: HEALTH COMMITTEE 10-0
Status: PENDING APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HEARING
SB 1035 - Assisted Outpatient Treatment – Medication Order
Votes: HEALTH 11-0
Status: PENDING JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING
SB 1154 - Real Time Internet Facility Database
Votes: HEALTH 11-0
Status: on APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE SUSPENSE FILE
SB 1227 – Adding Second 30 Day 5270 Hold
Votes: HEALTH 10-0, JUDICIARY 11-0
Status: APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HEARING MAY 9
SB 1238 - Behavioral Health Service Need Projections
Votes: HEALTH COMMITTEE 10-0
Status: APPROPRIATIONS CONSENT CALENDAR
SB 1394 – Extending Temporary Conservatorship, Further 30 days
Votes: JUDICIARY COMMITTEE 11-0
Status: THIRD READING FILE (pending vote of the entire Senate)
SB 1416 – Grave Disability Criteria, Adding Health to Food, Clothing and Shelter
Votes: HEALTH 9-0, JUDICIARY 10-0
Status: APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HEARING Set for May 9
A word about the numbers. A 10-0 result means ten YES votes, and zero NO votes. This indicates bipartisan approval for a bill, with all members of the committee voting. Notice that there is not a single NO vote cast against the package of bills. Outstanding result. Next stop for most of these bills will be fiscal analysis in the Senate Appropriations Committee!