On Wednesday, three of CSAP’s sponsored bills were heard in a marathon hearing of the Senate Health Committee. Between the three bills heard, former Government Affairs Chairwoman Dr. Emily Wood and CSAP advocate Dylan Elliott of SYASL spent over an hour and 30 minutes before the committee engaged in debate with opposition and answered a robust number of questions posed by the eleven committee members. Each measure passed well beyond the simple majority needed and will move to the next phase of the Legislative process. Details below.

  • SB 331 by Senator Menjivar would (1) clarify that “chronic alcoholism” applies to the same provisions that “severe substance use disorder” applies to, (2) adds a definition for “mental health disorder” that references the most recent edition of the DSM, (3) permits families to remain involved as the petitioner and make recommendations about services for the respondent’s CARE plan, and (4) requires the Department of Health Care Services to provide further training and technical assistance to counties in implementing the CARE Act.
    • SB 331 passed the Senate Health Committee with a vote of 8-0 and will move to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • SB 367 by Sentaor Allen would (1) establish more defined 5150 assessment criteria, (2) authorize additional treatment providers and judicial officers to refer individuals to the county public conservator, (3) require public conservator consideration of a patient’s ability to follow through with a verbalized willingness to self-care and include less restrictive alternatives that can meet patient needs in their report to the referring party should they determine that an LPS conservatorship petition will not be filed, and (4) create defined next steps for patients in their ITP should a conservatorship be granted.
    • SB 367 passed the Senate Health Committee by a vote of 11-0 and moves to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • SB 823 by Stern would include bipolar I in the list of eligible diagnoses for CARE Court.
    • SB 823 passed the Senate Health Committee by a vote of 11-0 and moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Another CSAP-sponsored bill, AB 1105 (Quirk-Silva), passed out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee on its consent calendar with no listed opposition (After extension discussions, Disability Rights California no longer opposes the bill.) by a vote of 12-0 on Tuesday, April 8th. AB 1105 would expand the placement options for individuals with major neurocognitive disorders. Next, it will be considered on the Assembly Floor, where it will likely again be a consent item.