AB 1928

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law authorizes a court to grant pretrial diversion to a defendant in specified cases, including when the defendant is suffering from a mental disorder, specified controlled substances crimes, and when the defendant was, or currently is, a member of the United States military. This bill would, until January 1, 2026, authorize the Counties of San Joaquin, Santa Clara, and Yolo to develop, manage, staff, and offer a secured residential treatment pilot program, known as Hope California, for individuals suffering from substance use disorders (SUDs) who have been convicted of qualifying drug-motivated felony crimes, as specified. The bill would require the program to meet certain conditions relating to, among other things, a risk, needs, and psychological assessment, a comprehensive curriculum, a determination by a judge of the length of treatment, data collection, licensing and monitoring of the facility by the State Department of Health Care Services, and reporting to the department and the Legislature. The bill would require the judge to offer the defendant voluntary participation in the pilot program, as an alternative to a jail or prison sentence otherwise imposed, if the defendant's crime was caused, in whole or in part, by the defendant's SUD, the crime was not a sex crime, serious or violent felony, or nonviolent drug possession, and the judge makes their determination based on the recommendations of the treatment providers, on a finding by the county health and human services agency that the defendant's participation would be appropriate, and on a specified report prepared with input from interested parties. Under the bill, the defendant would be eligible to receive credits for participation in the program, as specified. The bill would set forth a procedure for the transfer of a participant out of the secured residential treatment program based on the recommendations of the treatment providers or program administrators or based on the participant's request, as specified. The bill would require Hope California facilities to provide participants with an individualized medically assisted treatment program and provide participants with support services, including instruction on, among other things, money management, career planning, and applying for employment. If the participant successfully completes the court-ordered drug treatment, as determined by treatment providers, pursuant to the pilot program, the bill would require the court to expunge and seal the conviction from the participant's record and would authorize the court to expunge the conviction of any previous drug possession or drug use crimes on the participant's record. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including mental health and substance use disorder services, pursuant to a schedule of benefits. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law, with certain exceptions based in part on the type and location of the service, provides for the suspension of Medi-Cal benefits to an inmate of a public institution. This bill would, to the extent permitted under federal and state law, make treatment provided to a participant during the program reimbursable under the Medi-Cal program, if the participant is a Medi-Cal beneficiary and the treatment is a covered benefit under the Medi-Cal program. If treatment services are not reimbursable under the Medi-Cal program or through the participant's personal health care coverage, the bill would authorize funds allocated to the state from the 2021 Multistate Opioid Settlement Agreement, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, to be used to reimburse those treatment services to the extent consistent with the terms of the settlement agreement and the court's final judgment, as specified. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of San Joaquin, Santa Clara, and Yolo.