Last Thursday, the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees
convened their suspense file hearings for bills introduced in
their house of origin. During these hearings, certain bills may
be held under submission and do not advance forward for a Floor
vote. Some bills are passed out of committee, some bills are
held, and others are turned into two-year bills. As the deadline
to pass bills in their house of introduction approaches, the CSAC
Health and Human Services policy unit wanted to provide an update
on key bills of interest to counties.
Last Thursday, the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees
convened their suspense file hearings for bills introduced in
their house of origin. During these hearings, certain bills may
be held under submission and do not advance forward for a Floor
vote. Some bills are passed out of committee, some bills are
held, and others are turned into two-year bills. As the deadline
to pass bills in their house of introduction approaches, the CSAC
Health and Human Services policy unit wanted to provide an update
on key bills of interest to counties.
Advocacy efforts to support AT HOME are in full throttle as the
Legislature evaluates May Revision proposals and begins in
earnest to negotiate key details with the Administration in
advance of the state’s constitutional deadline to pass the budget
on June 15. CSAC’s primary effort is advocating for the inclusion
of
AT HOME Accountability trailer bill language (TBL) in the
2023-24 state budget.
Based on current COVID-19 trends, the federal Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) is planning for the federal
Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, declared under
Section 319 of the Public Health Services Act, to expire at the
end of the day today, May 11, 2023.
There are a number of important developments related to CSAC’s
advocacy efforts in support of the Accountability pillar of AT
HOME. Most significantly, CSAC has drafted the Accountability
pillar as trailer bill language (TBL) and is advocating for its
inclusion in the 2023-24 state budget. Below are further details
on this and other AT HOME Accountability-related efforts. Please
know that we remain fully immersed on all other aspects of AT
HOME as well, including engaging on bills, budget investments,
and federal efforts that align with all six pillars of AT HOME.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will be
closing the Community Care Expansion (CCE) application portal on
June 1, 2023, unless funds are exhausted sooner. The CCE Program
provides funding for acquisition, construction, and
rehabilitation projects to preserve and expand adult and senior
care facilities that serve SSI/SSP and CAPI applicants and
recipients, including those who are experiencing or at risk of
homelessness.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has
released the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Youth
Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). Applications for this
approximately $60 million grant program for up to 25 communities
are due by June 27, 2023.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will be
closing the Community Care Expansion (CCE) application portal on
June 1, 2023, unless funds are exhausted sooner. The CCE Program
provides funding for acquisition, construction, and
rehabilitation projects to preserve and expand adult and senior
care facilities that serve SSI/SSP and CAPI applicants and
recipients, including those who are experiencing or at risk of
homelessness.
Supervisors and county staff throughout the state convened in
Sacramento County for the 2023 CSAC Legislative Conference to
engage, empower and
elevate our collective county voice.
CSAC’s five policy committees – AOJ, AENR, GFA, HHS and HLT
– held important discussions to help steer the Association’s
policy and direction. Below is a recap from each policy
committees’ meeting.
While members of the Legislature returned home to their districts
for Spring Recess this week, legislative staff and advocates are
gearing up for long hearing days in the coming weeks as the
deadline for policy committees to hear and report fiscal bills
approaches at the end of April. As bills continue to take shape
in their house of origin, the CSAC Health and Human Services
(HHS) team is actively engaged on dozens of bills that impact
county administration and delivery of critical health, behavioral
health, and social services.
Following a four day “Tour of the State,” Governor Gavin Newsom
delivered a
letter to the Legislature this week, fulfilling his annual
duty to report to the Legislature on the condition of the state.
The letter, which was delivered in lieu of a formal speech,
highlights the Administration’s accomplishments over the past
four years and the major policy announcements made on his
statewide tour of California.
On Wednesday, the Governor
announced the availability of $907 million in grant funding
for county behavioral health agencies (BHAs) under the initial
round of the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) program to
address the immediate housing and treatment needs of people
experiencing homelessness and serious behavioral health
conditions, including mental illness and substance use disorders.
The homelessness policy debate is heating up with a flurry of
hearings, legislation, and advocacy opportunities occurring in
the last two weeks. Rest assured that your input is helping
create progress, and we have much to look forward to as the year
unfolds.
Next Friday, the Governor’s Office, the California Health & Human
Services Agency, and the California Department of Aging will host
a webinar for the public release of three key milestones related
to the Master Plan for Aging (MPA).
On December 1, the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency
(BCSH) released a Notice
of Funding Availability for $240 million as part of the
Encampment Resolution Fund grant program. Authorized through the
2022 Budget Act, this serves as the first round of funding out of
the total $700 million authorized over the next two years to
assist local governments in closing encampments and transitioning
people into housing and shelter.
CSAC recently reported on the final outcomes of measures that
were approved by the Legislature and delivered to Governor Newsom
for action. To keep counties informed of new laws of interest and
impact, CSAC will publish a series of articles to spotlight those
laws in each policy area. This week, the Health and Human
Services policy area provides information on new laws affecting
behavioral health, health services, and human services in
California counties.
The new laws listed below become effective January 1, 2023 unless
otherwise noted.
Governor Newsom rejected all applications for the third round of
state Homelessness Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP)
grants today, calling for more accelerated goals to reduce street
homelessness.
“As a state, we are failing to meet the urgency of this moment,”
Newsom said. Read the Governor’s press release
here.
On September 28, the Biden Administration hosted the White House
Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The
Conference website contains numerous resources and videos of
the event.
As detailed in a recent
bulletin article, the California Department of Aging (CDA)
and the Implementing the Master Plan for Aging in California
Together (IMPACT) Stakeholder Committee hosted a day-long CA For
ALL Ages and Abilities Day of Action on September 20.
The purpose of the event was to gather key stakeholders to move
forward with planning for an equitable and inclusive future for
older adults and people with disabilities.
In 2020, a new law (SB 234, Chapter 244, Statutes of 2019) went
into effect that aims to increase the availability of family
child care homes. The sponsor of the legislation, the Child Care
Law Center, reached out to CSAC to share new and updated
resources with counties regarding the implementation of this law.
SB 234 made various changes regarding licensing and zoning for
family child care homes, including several that directly impact
county regulations. These include:
John Burton Advocates for Youth and Senator Anna Caballero will
host a virtual policy
briefing on Wednesday, September 28 from 9:00-10:30
am to highlight opportunities to end youth homelessness
in California communities.
On Tuesday, September 20, the California Department of Aging and
the Implementing the Master Plan for Aging in California Together
(IMPACT) Stakeholder Committee hosted the day-long CA For ALL
Ages and Abilities Day of Action conference in Sacramento. The
in-person event gathered policymakers, caregivers, advocates and
other stakeholders passionate about planning for an equitable and
inclusive future for older adults and people with disabilities.
On Wednesday, September 28, the Biden-Harris Administration will
host the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health
in Washington, DC. During the Conference, which will also be live
streamed, the Administration will release a national strategy to
end hunger and increase healthy eating and physical activity by
2030.
California’s legislative session came to a close in the early
morning hours this week with hundreds of bills now awaiting
action by Governor Gavin Newsom. The following provides an update
on major bills of interest for the Health and Human
Services policy area. CSAC staff will continue to monitor
and advocate for County priorities during the signing
period, which ends September 30, 2022.
Next Thursday, August 25 from 9:30-11:00 am,
John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) will host a webinar to
share results of a project to increase foster youth utilization
of state and federal tax credits, stimulus checks, and tax
rebates. Participants will learn about the benefits of tax filing
for Transition Age Youth and what it takes to operate a Volunteer
Income Tax Assistance site dedicated to current and former foster
youth.
On Wednesday, April 20, the California Department of Aging (CDA)
hosted a results briefing on the Hubs and Spokes Network for
Aging and Disability. The Hubs and Spokes initiative follows up
on direction in the Master Plan for Aging to revisit California’s
Area Agency on Aging (AAA) local leadership structures to meet
the growing and changing needs and advance equity.
The CSAC Health and Human Services Policy Committee tackled three
major issues during the in-person meeting Thursday, hearing from
speakers on aging, the Governor’s behavioral health priorities,
and homelessness. Napa County Supervisor Belia Ramos, Vice Chair
of the Committee, welcomed speakers on each topic.
CSAC has recently taken support positions on a number of bills
within the human services policy area. These bills would support
foster children and youth, increase information sharing between
county agencies, and further the ability of counties to provide
services to older adults.
The California Department of Aging (CDA) has announced that they
will host a results briefing on the Hubs and Spokes Network for
Aging and Disability proposal. The briefing will take place on
Wednesday, April 20 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and
individuals can
register here. At the briefing, CDA will discuss the findings
from the stakeholder input process and next steps.
The California Department of Aging (CDA) has announced that they
will host a results briefing on the Hubs and Spokes Network for
Aging and Disability proposal. The briefing will take place on
Wednesday, April 20 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and individuals can
register here. At the briefing, CDA will discuss the findings
from the stakeholder input process and next steps.
Today, the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human
Services wrapped up their initial round of hearings with a
hearing dedicated to stakeholder budget requests. On the Assembly
side, the initial human services budget hearings are focused on
larger themes, such as anti-poverty and safety net programs, and
will extend into April. Both subcommittees are essentially
keeping all items open at this point and will revisit them and
take votes around the time of the May Revision. This year, CSAC
is co-sponsoring three human services budget proposals.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L.
117-58) was signed into law in November 2021 by President Joe
Biden. In addition to providing $650 billion for existing
programs, the legislation includes $550 billion for new
investments in roads, bridges, public transportation, airports,
water, broadband, rail, aviation, grid infrastructure,
resiliency, cybersecurity, and other areas.
The California Department of Aging (CDA) has announced that they
will host a results briefing on the Hubs and Spokes Network for
Aging and Disability proposal in March 2022, instead of the
previously announced December 2021 timeframe.
At the briefing, CDA will discuss the findings from the
stakeholder input process and next steps. This initiative follows
up on direction in the Master Plan for Aging to revisit
California’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) local leadership
structures to meet the growing and changing needs and advance
equity.
Governor Newsom met the October 10 deadline to take action on
measures approved by the Legislature and delivered to his desk.
To keep counties informed of new laws that impact them, CSAC will
be publishing a series of articles to spotlight those laws in
each policy area. This week, the Health and Human Services policy
area provides information on new laws affecting local health,
behavioral health and social services programs and services.
The new laws listed below become effective January 1, 2022 unless
otherwise noted.
On November 4, CSAC hosted an In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)
Training Webinar for county and public authority staff in
partnership with the County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA)
and the California Association of Public Authorities (CAPA). The
training provided a refresher course on the revised IHSS
Maintenance of Effort (MOE) that was enacted in 2019 and covered
new wages, benefits, and collective bargaining provisions that
were enacted by AB 135 (Chapter 85, Statutes of 2021) this year.
Last week, the U.S. Senate approved legislation that would
provide counties with much-needed flexibility as it pertains to
the use of Local Fiscal Recovery Fund dollars authorized by the
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The bipartisan bill (S. 3011),
sponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and John Cornyn (R-TX),
or the recently introduced House version (H.R. 5735), could come
up for a vote in the House of Representatives in the coming days.
October 10 was the deadline for final bill action by Governor
Newsom. Following is an update on major bills of interest or
concern for the Health and Human Services policy area that were
among the 800+ bills awaiting action by Governor Gavin Newsom.
For additional questions, please contact Farrah McDaid Ting, Justin
Garrett, or Roshena
Duree.
CSAC is awaiting the Governor’s action on a number of bills that
fall under the health and human services policy area and will
keep counties updated on the outcome of these measures. CSAC is
requesting the Governor’s signature on several of these measures.
Please see the list provided below.
The Governor’s office recently
announced the appointment of Marko Mijic as the new
Undersecretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency
(CHHS), and the appointment of Michelle Baass as the Director of
the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
The California Department of Health Care Services, the California
Department of Social Services, and the Judicial Council of
California are hosting a webinar on Wednesday, September
15, 11 a.m. -1 p.m. The webinar will be an overview of
the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA).
