Mental health: criminal justice: pilot project.

Existing law authorizes a person in custody who has been charged with, or convicted of, a criminal offense to apply for inpatient or outpatient mental health services. This bill would require the University of California Criminal Justice and Health Consortium to administer a 4-year statewide pilot project in 6 counties, as specified, for the purpose of assisting participating counties in creating cost-effective programming for the large population of mentally ill adults in county jail systems who have cooccurring substance use disorders, utilizing eligible funds from existing programs established to address mental illness in California communities for purposes of the pilot project activities. The pilot project counties would be selected pursuant to a competitive application process. The bill would require each pilot project location to include a steering committee of representatives from relevant county agencies and community-based providers, as specified. The bill also would require each pilot project location to implement specified practices, including screening and diagnosis, integrated treatment, and transitional case management, as prescribed. The bill would require the consortium to confer on a regular basis with the State Department of Health Care Services regarding the progress of the pilot project and would require the department to provide relevant information and technical assistance as necessary to support the consortium's activities. This bill would require the consortium to submit a report to the Legislature regarding the progress and effectiveness of the pilot project by January 1, 2021. The bill would repeal the pilot project as of January 1, 2022. This bill would make these provisions apply to the consortium only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California, by resolution, make any of these provisions applicable to the consortium.