BHAB Planning for Calendar Year 2023

Last updated on May 15, 2023

The following are documents and notes from the Building a Better BHAB (BBB) Workgroup formed and meeting during 2019-20 which this author, as chair of the workgroup, documented. These documents effectively outline how the BHAB could be reformed and refocused on their state-mandated duties. Not many of these recommendations were adopted unfortunately. My hope is that these will be used to rekindle a discussion and result in a reforming of this group for the new year.

Ideas and recommendations were refined over time to help reduce fears expressed by other Members in relation to the amount of work described. Other documents discussing even

1. 2019-09-27_BBB-Workgroup_Recommends-DRAFT
2. 2019-09-05_BBB-Workgroup_Recommendations
3. 2019-09-02_BBB-Workgroup_Recommendations_Draft
4. 2019-05-20 Draft: BBB Master Book
5. 2019-05-02 BBB Report – Building a Better BHAB (see below)
6. 2019-04-04 BBB Report – Building a Better BHAB
7. 2019-02-07 Unpublished Notes BBB Workgroup Update
8. 2019-01-18 BBB Workgroup Notes

Summary of Duties

The MHSA-related state law requires that California’s BHAB’s do the following (in summary):

BHAB Responsibilities required by state law:

1. Review & Evaluate the Community:
   ■ mental health needs
   ■ services
   ■ facilities
   ■ special problems
   
2. Review County Agreements (WIC 5650)
   ■ California Department of Health Care Services 3-yr contract with county
   ■ County mental health services and other programs
   ■ MHSA (Millionaire’s Tax) funds, Homelessness grant, Community MHS Block Grant,
   Other Federal Grants
   
3. Advise Supervisors & BHS Director
   ■ on any aspect of the county Mental Health program
   
4. Review & approve procedures used
   ■ to ensure citizen and professional involvement at all stages of the planning process.
   
5. Submit Annual Report to Supervisors
   ■ on needs and performance of the Mental Health system
   
6. Review & Make Recommendations on Applicants for Mental Health Director
   ■ BHAB shall be included in the selection process prior to Supervisors vote.
   
7. Review & Comment on Performance Outcome Data
   ■ Communicate findings to California Mental Health Planning Council
   
8. Nothing limits Supervisors from
   ■ transferring additional duties to BHAB
   
9. Other duties include:
   ■ …assess impact of realignment of services:
   i. from the state to the county,
   ii. on services delivered to clients,
   iii. and on the local community.
   ■ …conducts public hearing on county’s MHSA 3-Year Program, Expenditure Plan and
   Annual Update.
   
   Document: 2019-05-02 BBB Report – Building a Better BHAB
   WIC Code: See 5604.2 in Welfare and Institutions Code – WIC, DIVISION 5. COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, PART 2. THE BRONZAN-MCCORQUODALE ACT