College Mental Health Services Program.

Existing law, the Mental Health Services Act, an initiative measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, funds a system of county mental health plans for the provision of mental health services, as specified. Existing law provides for the operation and administration of various mental health programs at a statewide and county level, as specified. This bill, until January 1, 2022, would require the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, to create a grant program for public community colleges, colleges, and universities for purposes of improving access to mental health services on those campuses, as specified. The bill would require campuses that have been awarded grants under these provisions to report annually on the use of those grant funds and to post that information on their Internet Web sites. The bill would also require the commission to submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the impact of the program, as specified. The bill would require that evaluation to be conducted by a public or private research university or institute in this state and would require the Department of Finance to assist the commission in issuing a request for proposal for that contract.