HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.25.20 Email from Scott Kennelly - California Takes Giant Step in Confronting the Behavioral Health Crisis with Passage of SB 803
From:Kennelly, Scott
To:Alpert, Bruce;Bennett, Robin;Clerk of the Board;Connelly, Bill;Cook, Holly;Lambert, Steve;Lucero, Debra;McCracken,
Shari;Paulsen, Shaina;Pickett, Andy;Ring, Brian;Ritter, Tami;Rodas, Amalia;Sweeney, Kathleen;Teeter, Doug
Subject:California Takes Giant Step in Confronting the Behavioral Health Crisis with Passage of SB 803
Date:Friday, September 25, 2020 3:06:58 PM
GoodafternoonSupervisors,
I am pleased to announce that SB 803 was signed into law by Governor Newsom this morning. This bill allows
for the following:
SB803establishesastatewidecertificationprogramfor
peersupportspecialistsandprovidesthestructureneeded
tomaximizethefederalmatchforpeerservicesunder
Medi-Cal.Californiacountiescanelecttoopt-intothe
programtoprovidecertifiedpeersupportspecialist
servicesintheircounty.Theprogramdefinestherangeof
responsibilitiesandpracticeguidelinesforpeersupport
specialists,specifiesrequiredtrainingandcontinuing
educationrequirements,determinesclinicalsupervision
requirements,andestablishesacodeofethicsand
processesforrevocationofcertification.
Finally,thebillwouldallowpeerstopracticeinanycounty
inthestate,whereascurrentlypeersmayonlypracticein
thecountywheretheyarecertified.
This is a significant bill as it finally allows California to recognize the value of Peers in the workforce and to
provide a formal certification process for them pursue. As you may recall, the Board recently approved the
funding for the first two full time Peer Support Specialists to work under BCBH. Those two positions will be
going out for recruitment shortly.
Thanks,
Scott
Scott Kennelly L.C.S.W
Director Butte County Behavioral Health
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From: cacfs@memberclicks-mail.net <cacfs@memberclicks-mail.net>
Sent: Friday, September 25, 2020 11:35 AM
To: Kennelly, Scott <SKennelly@buttecounty.net>
Subject: California Takes Giant Step in Confronting the Behavioral Health Crisis with Passage of SB 803
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Passage of SB
803
Sept.25,2020
California Takes Giant Step inConfrontingthe Behavioral Health Crisis
with Passage of SB 803
Sacramento, CA – Today,TheCaliforniaAlliance ofChildandFamilyServicesandNAMI
CaliforniaapplaudGovernorGavinNewsomforsigningSB803(Beall).SB803willenable
CaliforniatoexpandthebehavioralhealthworkforcebyallowingcertificationofPeerSupport
Specialists.WiththepassageofSB803,Californiawillnowbeinlinewiththe48otherstatesthat
alreadyrecognizepeers'value.
"The pandemic hastakenatremendoustollonthebehavioralhealthneedsofCalifornians,and
wemustuseeveryresource wehave toaddressthiscrisis.WiththepassageofSB803,wecan
focusondiversifyingandstrengtheningourbehavioralhealthworkforce,"saidChristineStoner-
Mertz,CEOofTheCaliforniaAllianceforChildandFamilyServices."TheCaliforniaAlliancethanks
SenatorJimBeallforhissteadfastleadershipin workingtirelesslytoimprovethebehavioralhealth
systemwithinourstate,andwecommendGovernorGavinNewsomforsigningSB803."
"WiththesigningofSB803,CaliforniacanengagePeerSupportSpecialistsas acritical partofthe
behavioralhealthworkforce,"saidJessicaCruz,CEOofNAMICalifornia."Aswecontinuetoface
thechallengesbroughtonbythe Covid-19pandemic,California willnowbereadytoutilizethe
unique rolethatpeersandfamilies playin ourstate'sbehavioralhealthrecovery.NAMICalifornia
thanksGovernorGavinNewsomforrecognizingthetruepowerofPeerSupportSpecialistsby
signingSB803."
Thisemailwassenttoskennelly@buttecounty.netbykjanoe@cacfs.org
CaliforniaAllianceofChildandFamilyServices
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