Mental health: workforce.

Existing law regulates the provision of programs and services relating to mental health and requires the creation of community programs to increase access to, and quality of, community-based mental health services. Existing law requires any program permitting mental health professions to respond to emergency mental health crisis calls in collaboration with law enforcement to ensure the program is supervised by a licensed mental health professional, including, among others, a licensed clinical social worker, except as specified. This bill would require the Department of Health Care Access and Information to establish a mentorship program that will connect students enrolled in behavioral health programs with community-based organizations, as specified. The bill would require the department to coordinate a cost-of-living stipend that a student mentee may use for specific expenses. The bill would authorize a community-based organization to apply for the stipend and would require the community-based organization to distribute the stipend to its student mentees distinct from wages earned for work performed. This bill would require the department to offer an increased stipend to encourage bilingual students to participate in the program. This bill would require an eligible student to enter into an agreement with a community-based organization to complete the mentorship program concurrent with their education and to work for the community-based organization after graduation, as specified. The bill would require a community-based organization to, among other things, formally mentor each student mentee and offer each student mentee permanent employment upon successful completion of their educational program.