BILL NUMBER: AB 1852	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 27, 2006
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 24, 2006
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 1, 2006

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Yee
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Maze)

                        JANUARY 12, 2006

   An act to amend  Sections 128454 and  
Section  128456 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to
mental health.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1852, as amended, Yee  Licensed mental health service provider
education program.
   Existing law requires the Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development to establish a nonprofit public benefit corporation known
as the Health Professions Education Foundation to perform various
duties with respect to implementing health professions scholarship
and loan programs.
   Existing law establishes the Licensed Mental Health Service
Provider Education Program, and requires the foundation to develop
the program to provide grants to licensed mental health service
providers, as defined, who provide direct patient care in a publicly
funded facility or a mental health professional shortage area, as
defined.  
   Existing law requires the foundation to solicit the advice of
representatives of specified agencies and officials, including, but
not limited to, the Board of Behavioral Science Examiners. 
   This bill would  revise the definition of "licensed mental
health care practitioner" for this purpose to additionally include a
marriage and family therapist intern and an associate clinical
social worker, and would  make a technical, nonsubstantive
change.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  yes
  no  . State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  
  SECTION 1.    Section 128454 of the Health and
Safety Code is amended to read:
   128454.  (a) There is hereby created the Licensed Mental Health
Service Provider Education Program within the Health Professions
Education Foundation.
   (b) For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall
apply:
   (1) "Licensed mental health service provider" means a
psychologist, marriage and family therapist, marriage and family
therapist intern, licensed clinical social worker, and associate
clinical social worker.
   (2) "Mental health professional shortage area" means an area
designated as such by the Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA) of the United States Department of Health and
Human Services.
   (c) Commencing January 1, 2005, any licensed mental health service
provider who provides direct patient care in a publicly funded
facility or a mental health professional shortage area may apply for
grants under the program to reimburse his or her educational loans
related to a career as a licensed mental health service provider.
   (d) The Health Professions Education Foundation shall make
recommendations to the director of the office concerning all of the
following:
   (1) A standard contractual agreement to be signed by the director
and any licensed mental health service provider who is serving in a
publicly funded facility or a mental health professional shortage
area that would require the licensed mental health service provider
who receives a grant under the program to work in the publicly funded
facility or a mental health professional shortage area for at least
one year.
   (2) The maximum allowable total grant amount per individual
licensed mental health service provider.
   (3) The maximum allowable annual grant amount per individual
licensed mental health service provider.
   (e) The Health Professions Education Foundation shall develop the
program, which shall comply with all of the following requirements:
   (1) The total amount of grants under the program per individual
licensed mental health service provider shall not exceed the amount
of educational loans related to a career as a licensed mental health
service provider incurred by that provider.
   (2) The program shall keep the fees from the different licensed
providers separate to ensure that all grants are funded by those fees
collected from the corresponding licensed provider groups.
   (3) A loan forgiveness grant may be provided in installments
proportionate to the amount of the service obligation that has been
completed.
   (4) The number of persons who may be considered for the program
shall be limited by the funds made available pursuant to Section
128458.  
   SEC. 2.   SECTION 1.   Section 128456 of
the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
   128456.  In developing the program established pursuant to this
article, the Health Professions Education Foundation shall solicit
the advice of representatives of the Board of Behavioral Sciences,
the Board of Psychology, the State Department of Mental Health, the
California Mental Health Directors Association, the California Mental
Health Planning Council, professional mental health care
organizations, the California Healthcare Association, the Chancellor
of the California Community Colleges, and the Chancellor of the
California State University. The foundation shall solicit the advice
of representatives who reflect the demographic, cultural, and
linguistic diversity of the state.