Governor Seeking To Restructure Oversight of Mental Health Facilities
The May budget revision that Gov. Jerry Brown (D) released yesterday calls for the creation of a new Department of State Hospitals to oversee California's mental health hospitals, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The proposed changes come as lawmakers and employee groups are pushing for changes to curb violent incidents at California's mental health care facilities.
Details of the Proposed Changes
The proposal calls for the state to shift the administration of community mental health funds to counties over the next two years.
The Department of Mental Health then would be phased out and replaced by the Department of State Hospitals, which would oversee state mental health hospitals.
Diana Dooley -- secretary of California's Health and Human Services Agency -- said she is not sure whether the state will opt to create the new agency through a legislative or executive process.
The May revise also would:
- Provide $9.5 million to hire security teams at three mental health care facilities and install an alarm system at Napa State Hospital; and
- Add 78 more jobs in the next fiscal year for teams of hospital police officers and psychiatric technicians at state mental health hospitals (Romney, Los Angeles Times, 5/17).
For more coverage of the governor's May revise, see today's Capitol Desk post.
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