Mental health services: county plans: veterans.

Existing law, the Bronzan-McCorquodale Act, contains provisions governing the operation and financing of community mental health services for the mentally disordered in every county through locally administered and locally controlled community mental health programs. Existing law, the Mental Health Services Act, an initiative measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at November 2, 2004, statewide general election, establishes the Mental Health Services Fund to fund various county mental health programs. The act may be amended by the Legislature only by a 23 vote of both houses and only so long as the amendment is consistent with and furthers the intent of the act. The Legislature may clarify procedures and terms of the act by majority vote. Existing law requires each county mental health program to prepare and submit a 3-year plan to be updated at least annually and approved by the department after review and comment by the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission. Existing law requires the plan to be developed with specified local stakeholders. This bill would require the local stakeholder planning group to include veterans and representatives from veterans organizations and would require the department, as part of its review of the county plan, to inform the Department of Veterans Affairs of county plans that have outreach programs specifically for veterans or that provide services specifically for veterans.