AMENDED IN SENATE OCTOBER 22, 2002

SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 5

INTRODUCED BY SENATOR LEVY

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SP 5:  EQUAL ACCESS TO ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, TO THE EXTENT THAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, THE PRIMARY GOAL FOR THE USE OF FUNDS DEPOSITED IN THE MENTAL HEALTH ACCOUNT OF THE LOCAL HEALTH AND WELFARE TRUST FUND SHOULD BE TO SERVE THE TARGET POPULATION IDENTIFIED IN SPECIFIC CATEGORIES.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD IMPROVE ACCESS TO ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH CHRONIC MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS.

VOTE:  MAJORITY.

SP 5:  RELATING TO EQUAL ACCESS TO ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

WHEREAS, OLDER ADULTS ARE ONE OF THE MOST UNDERSERVED GROUPS IN CALIFORNIA'S MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM, YET THEY ARE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENTS OF THE STATE'S POPULATION; AND

WHEREAS, THE 1999 SURGEON GENERAL'S "MENTAL HEALTH:  A REPORT OF THE SURGEON GENERAL" UNDERSCORES THE URGENT NEED TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR SOCIETY ON AN EQUAL BASIS WITH PHYSICAL HEALTH; AND

WHEREAS, A GERIATRIC, CHRONIC MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM, NATIONAL CRISIS LOOMS AS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OLDER THAN 65 YEARS OF AGE WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS WILL INCREASE FROM 4 MILLION IN 1970 TO A PROJECTED 15 MILLION IN 2030; AND

WHEREAS, PHYSICIANS AND COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS ARE INCREASINGLY REFERRING ADULTS WITH CHRONIC MENTAL DISORDERS TO ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE (ADHC) PROGRAMS; AND

WHEREAS, IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR PATIENTS WITH A PRIMARY CHRONIC MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS TO ACCESS ADHC SERVICE BECAUSE MANY MEDICAL FIELD OFFICES OFTEN LIMIT THE AUTHORIZATION OF SERVICES FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS, EITHER BY DENYING SERVICES OR REDUCING THE NUMBER OF REQUESTED DAYS OF CARE; AND

WHEREAS, THIS CREATES AN UNNECESSARY AND INAPPROPRIATE OBSTACLE TO CARE, AND IS AT ODDS WITH THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR THIS TYPE OF CARE; AND

WHEREAS, SECTION 1570.7 OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE STATES THAT ELDERLY PERSONS WITH FUNCTIONAL MENTAL IMPAIRMENTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ADHC SERVICES; AND

WHEREAS, ADHC INTERDISCIPLINARY STAFF MEMBERS ARE TRAINED TO IDENTIFY SUBTLE SYMPTOMS OF DECOMPENSATION ON PHYSICAL HEALTH CHANGES AND TO INITIATE INTERVENTIONS TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY HOSPITALIZATIONS; AND

WHEREAS, THE COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS ARE PRIMARILY EQUIPPED TO RESPOND TO ACUTE CRISES OR PROVIDE SHORTER-TERM TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION, AND ARE UNABLE TO MEET CHRONIC CARE NEEDS; AND

WHEREAS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO ADHC SERVICES, WHICH ARE APPROPRIATE PREVENTATIVE AND TREATMENT SETTINGS FOR ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WITH CHRONIC MENTAL DISORDERS; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2002 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DEVELOP A SET OF RECOMMENDED STANDARDS OF PRACTICE FOR PROGRAMS SERVING SPECIALIZED POPULATIONS OF ADULTS WITH CHRONIC MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, ADDRESSING ISSUES SUCH AS STANDARDS OF ASSESSMENT, STAFF COMPETENCIES, AND CARE COORDINATION PROTOCOLS AND PROGRAMMING; AND BE IT FURTHER  RESOLVED, THAT THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL FIELD OFFICES BE INCREASED TO EVALUATE CLIENT CHRONIC MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AND TO APPROVE SERVICES IN A MANNER THAT PROMOTES PARITY OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH NEEDS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE REGULATIONS BE REVISED TO PERMIT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED BY TRAINED PARAPROFESSIONALS, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF AUTHORIZED PROFESSIONAL STAFF, TO BE COUNTED AS ALLOWABLE THERAPY HOURS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THESE REVISIONS CONFORM TO THE STATUTE THAT ALLOWS EQUAL ACCESS TO PERSONS WITH MENTAL OR PHYSICAL PROBLEMS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT-COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM AND ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE SERVICES BE IMPROVED FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE APPROPRIATELY SERVED IN BOTH SETTINGS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN0215002

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