Section 5852.5 - Total estimated cost avoidance The State Department of Health Care Services, in consultation with the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, shall review those counties that have been awarded funds to implement a comprehensive system for the delivery of mental health services to children with a serious emotional disturbance and to their families or foster families to determine compliance with either of the following:
(a) The total estimated cost avoidance in all of the following categories shall equal or exceed the applications for funding award moneys: (1) Group home costs paid by Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program.(2) Children and adolescent state hospital and acute inpatient programs.(3) Nonpublic school residential placement costs.(4) Juvenile justice reincarcerations.(5) Other short- and long-term savings in public funds resulting from the applications for funding award moneys.(b) If the department determines that the total cost avoidance listed in subdivision (a) does not equal or exceed applications for funding award amounts, the department shall determine that the county that has been awarded funding shall achieve substantial compliance with all of the following goals: (1) Total cost avoidance in the categories listed in subdivision (a) to exceed 50 percent of the applications for funding award moneys.(2) A 20-percent reduction in out-of-county ordered placements of juvenile justice wards and social service dependents.(3) A statistically significant reduction in the rate of recidivism by juvenile offenders.(4) A 25-percent reduction in the rate of state hospitalization of minors from placements of special education pupils.(5) A 10-percent reduction in out-of-county nonpublic school residential placements of special education pupils.(6) Allow at least 50 percent of children at risk of imminent placement served by the intensive in-home crisis treatment programs, which are wholly or partially funded by applications for funding award moneys, to remain at home at least six months.(7) Statistically significant improvement in school attendance and academic performance of seriously emotionally disturbed special education pupils treated in day treatment programs that are wholly or partially funded by applications for funding award moneys.(8) Statistically significant increases in services provided in nonclinic settings among agencies.(9) Increase in ethnic minority and gender access to services proportionate to the percentage of these groups in the county's schoolage population.(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2025, if amendments to the Mental Health Services Act are approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election.Ca. Welf. and Inst. Code § 5852.5
Added by Stats 2023 ch 790 (SB 326),s 74, eff. 4/17/2024, op. Approved in Proposition 1 at the March 5, 2024, election..