AB 2534

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law establishes the California Health and Human Services Agency and further establishes various departments and committees in the agency. Existing law also establishes various mental health programs, including, among others, the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act and the Children's Mental Health Services Act. This bill would, contingent upon appropriation and to be operative for one fiscal year following the appropriation, establish the Survivor Support and Harm Prevention Pilot Program, to be administered by the agency, with the purpose of funding noncarceral, nonpunitive, prevention-oriented, and therapeutic programs that support survivors of crime and otherwise support individuals who have experienced violence or trauma of any nature. The bill would require the agency to solicit applications from counties interested in hosting the pilot program and would require the agency to work with no more than 5 counties, as specified. The bill would require the Counties of Los Angeles and Alameda to be participating counties. The bill would require participating counties to establish an Office of Survivor Support and Harm Reduction, as specified. The bill would authorize a county Office of Survivor Support and Harm Reduction to provide or contract with community-based organizations to provide various services, including housing support options. The bill would require participating counties to meet certain requirements, including ensuring that programs and services funded by the county are provided through a noncarceral approach to safety. The bill would require law enforcement officers in participating counties to provide specified advice to victims of crime. The bill would require the Office of Survivor Support and Harm Reduction to provide at least 90% of grant funds to qualifying community-based organizations. The bill would require the agency to convene a stakeholder workgroup to oversee the program to be made up of specified members. The bill would require the agency to convene monthly meetings with the stakeholder workgroup and to post a yearly summary of the meetings on its internet website. The bill would require the agency to create a uniform mechanism for participating counties to collect and report, to the agency, data necessary to most effectively provide services and ensure community safety, and would require participating counties to provide that data to the best of their abilities. By imposing new duties on the Counties of Los Angeles and Alameda, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.