CCCBHA Monthly General Newsletter

California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies

Representing Nonprofit Community Behavioral Health Agencies Throughout California

March 16, 2017

This monthly newsletter is provided to inform the public of behavioral health issues that are happening around the Capitol. Our members get an additional biweekly newsletter and detailed policy updates, including opportunities for participating in creating policy that protect and enhance behavioral health interests.

Rusty's Corner

by Rusty Selix, CCCBHA Public Policy and Advocacy Director

Board of Directors

Congressional Budget Office Slams Republican Healthcare Proposal: More People Lose Health Insurance than Gained Under the Affordable Care Act

The analysis that came out Monday confirms the views of healthcare experts and state officials. Moreover, it only covers impacts through 2026. My analysis suggests that over the next 20 years most states will find it impossible to continue the Medicaid program as the block grant federal spending gap between Medicaid costs and federal funding grows. If that happens, the number of individuals who lose ... More Here

(Editor's note: CCCBHA sent out a Members Alert on 3/15/17 with a list of facts and detailed action steps our members can take to let their Congressional Representatives know they oppose the proposal. It's just one of the benefits of being a member.)

Governor's Budget In-Home Supportive Services Proposal Will Reduce Mental Health Realignment Growth by Tens of Millions Annually, and Grow to Hundreds of Millions Over Time

The 1991 Realignment Law was intended to give health, mental health, and social services each one-third of dedicated state sales tax and vehicle license fee revenues. However, a feature added late in its development provided that the social service share would be determined by caseload, and health and mental health would get a larger or smaller share based on caseload growth for social services. More Here

Proposition 64 Marijuana Legalization - Funding for Substance Use Disorder Services Likely Delayed until 2019

Last month, the Department of Health Care Services announced, and then canceled, a Stakeholder Advisory Committee meeting regarding this significant new substance use disorder funding opportunity. We have learned that the reason for the cancellation is that other state agencies do not want this funding to even be discussed until all of the complicated regulatory issues regarding the sale of marijuana are resolved. They expect that to take all of 2017, and that means the stakeholder process will not begin until ... More Here

No Place Like Home Advisory Committee Begins Meeting March 23 - Schedule of Implementation Presented

This PowerPoint presentation describes the steps toward implementation of the No Place Like Home program. It identifies the outstanding issues, such as the definition of at-risk for chronic homelessness, which we hope will include people who are losing time-limited housing or are transitioning from institutional placements without a permanent home.

The first round of funding will be $200 million that will go out to all counties by ... More Here

Visit to Granville Youth Center in Vancouver BC - A New Model for Youth Engagement

I was contacted over a year ago by Stanford professor Steve Adelsheim, who had a Robert Wood Johnson grant to study the Australia Headspace program and assess its feasibility in the United States, particularly in California under the Mental Health Services Act. The Headspace program in Australia now consists of 100 youth centers which offer primary care mental health, substance use disorder services, and sexual health support aimed at young people, ages 13 to 24. The premise is that people in this age group are the least likely to seek healthcare or behavioral healthcare in a traditional setting. The concept is a storefront in a youth friendly design where only young people will be admitted, and the concept is now expanding around the world. In California, Santa Clara County is planning to use MHSA innovations funds to help establish a facility. More Here

President

Erin O'Brien

Community Solutions

President Elect

Dave Pilon

Mental Health America of Los Angeles

Past President

Darrell Evora

Uplift Family Services

Treasurer

Sparky Harlan

Bill Wilson Center

Secretary

Cynthia Jackson Kelartinian

Heritage Clinic

2nd VIce Presidents

Ken Berrick

Seneca Family of Agencies
Leon Hoover

Kings View Corporation

Members-At-Large

Carolyn Chadwick

Tessie Cleveland Community Services Corp.

Vitka Eisen

HealthRIGHT 360

Steve Elson

Casa Pacifica

Lorna Jones

Bonita House

Debbie Manners

Hathaway-Sycamores

Camille Schraeder

Redwood Children's Services

Christine Stoner-Mertz

Lincoln

Hugo Villa

The Village Family Services

Executive Director

Paul Curtis

Director, Public Policy & Advocacy

Rusty Selix

Mission: The California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies (CCCBHA) promotes comprehensive, responsive and integrated service systems by enhancing the ability of nonprofit member agencies to provide mental health services that empower the people we serve to lead full and productive lives.

CCCBHA Upcoming Meetings

Inaugural California Mental Health First Aid Summit	CCCBHA Prop 64 Stakeholder Meeting	Spring Policy Forum & Advocacy Day
March 17, 2017 CCCBHA, in partnership with National Council, is holding the first MHFA Summit in California. Presentations will include updates, initiatives and successes around the Country, Ensuring MHFA is Delivered to Schools, and Working with Peace Officers. There will also be the opportunity to share experiences and network with others in this field.	March 22, 2017 This meeting is to provide direction to the Department of Health Care Services in the implementation of the provisions of Proposition 64 Marijuana Legalization. This is a unique opportunity for CCCBHA members to provide input and guidance while advocating how the funds raised through Prop 64 should be designated.	May 24-25, 2017 This Forum will be covering current policies, and will include a presentation on technology. The members will also be given tools and information on advocating for behavioral health issues to use on the second day as members visit their legislators at the State Capitol during CCCBHA's Advocacy Day.

Other News and Events

ACA Repeal Options Would Weaken Access to Substance Use Treatment

California's 1115 Drug Medi-Cal Waiver Pilot

Blog by Peggy Bailey

Director of the Health Integration Project

House Republicans' policy alternatives to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would cut federal Medicaid funding and end the ACA's Medicaid expansion for low-income adults, among other things. That would put millions of people's coverage for substance use disorder services at risk even as deaths due to opioid use are rising in many states, especially in rural areas... Link to full blog

17th Annual National Behavioral Health Information Management Conference and Exposition

Year two of California's 1115 Drug Medi-Cal Waiver pilot: How information technology and health information exchange are helping build an organized delivery system for treatment of substance use disorders

California's Drug Medi-Cal Waiver is of enormous significance nationwide as a possible solution to many long-term, daunting challenges for substance use systems of care... Link to more info

News from the National Council of Behavioral Health

Upcoming Events

A membership with CCCBHA means an automatic membership with the National Council for Behavioral Health. By joining both, not only will you get important California representation, but you'll also get critical national news.

Man Credits Mental Health First Aid for Saving Co-Worker's Life

Jim Neustadt had taken basic First Aid courses, and was even trained to use an automated external defibrillator. As the human-resources director for about 270 employees, he knew his co-workers looked to him when any emergency took place.

With that in mind, Jim decided to take his preparation a step further. He enrolled in a Mental Health First Aid course.

The morning after his training, one of Jim's colleagues came into his office and told him another co-worker was talking suicide. Luckily, Jim was prepared.

Thanks to his Mental Health First Aid training, Jim didn't hesitate to ask his co-worker directly if he had a plan to kill himself and to engage him in a conversation about his suicidal thoughts. Jim was able to get the man to his family and direct him toward help.