Existing law establishes a system of mental health programs, largely administered through the counties, to provide mental health and substance use disorder services in the state. Existing law regulates the facilities that provide these services, including acute psychiatric hospitals, residential substance abuse treatment facilities, and outpatient programs.

This bill would require that, by July 1, 2024, the California Health and Human Services Agency, either on its own or through the Behavioral Health Task Force established by the Governor, to create an ad hoc committee to study how to develop a real-time, internet-based system, usable by hospitals, clinics, law enforcement, paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and other health care providers as deemed appropriate, to display information about available beds in inpatient psychiatric facilities, crisis stabilization units, residential community mental health facilities, and residential alcoholism or substance abuse treatment facilities in order to facilitate the identification and designation of available facilities for the transfer to, and temporary treatment of, individuals in mental health or substance use disorder crisis. The ad hoc committee shall submit a report of its findings to the Legislature no later than July 1, 2025.