Code Section

5802.  

(a) The Legislature finds that a mental health system of care for adults and older adults with severe and persistent mental illness is vital for successful management of mental health care in California. Specifically:

(1) A comprehensive and coordinated system of care includes community-based treatment, outreach services and other early intervention strategies, case management, and interagency system components required by adults and older adults with severe and persistent mental illness.

(2) Mentally ill adults and older adults receive service from many different state and county agencies, particularly criminal justice, employment, housing, public welfare, health, and mental health. In a system of care these agencies collaborate in order to deliver integrated and cost-effective programs.

(3) The recovery of persons with severe mental illness and their financial means are important for all levels of government, business, and the community.

(4) System of care services that ensure culturally competent care for persons with severe mental illness in the most appropriate, least restrictive level of care are necessary to achieve the desired performance outcomes.

(5) Mental health service providers need to increase accountability and further develop methods to measure progress towards client outcome goals and cost-effectiveness as required by a system of care.

(b) The Legislature further finds that the adult system of care model, beginning in the 1989–90 fiscal year through the implementation of Chapter 982 of the Statutes of 1988, provides models for adults and older adults with severe mental illness that can meet the performance outcomes required by the Legislature.

(c) The Legislature also finds that the system components established in adult systems of care are of value in providing greater benefit to adults and older adults with severe and persistent mental illness at a lower cost in California.

(d) Therefore, using the guidelines and principles developed under the demonstration projects implemented under the adult system of care legislation in 1989, it is the intent of the Legislature to accomplish the following:

(1) Encourage each county to implement a system of care as described in this legislation for the delivery of mental health services to adults and older adults with serious mental illness.

(2) To promote system of care accountability for performance outcomes that enable adults with severe mental illness to reduce symptoms that impair their ability to live independently, work, maintain community supports, care for their children, stay in good health, not abuse drugs or alcohol, and not commit crimes.

(3) Maintain funding for the existing pilot adult system of care programs that meet contractual goals as models and technical assistance resources for future expansion of system of care programs to other counties as funding becomes available.

(4) Provide funds for counties to establish outreach programs and to provide mental health services and related medications, substance abuse services, supportive housing or other housing assistance, vocational rehabilitation, and other nonmedical programs necessary to stabilize homeless persons who are mentally ill or persons who are mentally ill and at risk of being homeless, get them off the street, and into treatment and recovery, or to provide access to veterans’ services that will also provide for treatment and recovery.