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TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS , Otc''
FROM: Supervisor Joe Canciamilla - -- County
DATE: May 9, 2000
SUBJECT: CONSIDER ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR ASSEMBLY
BILL 1800, AN UPDATE OF THE LANTERMAN PETRIS SHORT ACT
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION{S}AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
1. Consider adoption of the attached resolution of support for Assembly Bill 1800, which provides for
an update of the Lanterman Petris Short Act related to services for the mentally ill.
2. If the Board of Supervisors acts to adopt the attached resolution, authorize the Chair of the Board
to prepare a transmittal letter to be sent to our State legislative delegation.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Lanterman Petris Short Act (5150 of the Welfare and Constitutions Code) was enacted to
integrate severely mentally ill persons with services in the community where care would be provided
in a more cost-effective, humane setting. But current provisions of the act require that a person be
found to be an immediate danger to self or to others, or be gravely disabled, before being
involuntarily held. As a consequence, state hospitals were emptied virtually overnight by placing
mentally ill persons back on the street even though sufficient services and funding were not in place
to provide the treatment and housing options necessary for them to function in our communities.
Access to quality public mental health services has improved, and will hopefully continue to improve
as policy makers give increasing attention to the needs of the mentally ill.
Changes are necessary, however, in the current legislation in order to allow for more effective
involuntary intervention for those who are so severely mentally ill that they refuse medical treatment
and deteriorate further without it.
Assemblywoman Helen MacLeod Thomson has introduced a bill, AB 1800, which will
implement the changes needed in this Act. A summary of the changes intended with the passage of
AB 1800, along with additional information, is attached for your review.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OMM DATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
{
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S)
ACTION OF BOARD ON May 9, 2000 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED; OTHER: _XX _
On this date, the, Board of Supervisors CMSIbfRED this matter. They discussed the issues and took the following
action: RUMUM this matter back to the Mental Health C mii.ssion for clarification of their position; and
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS: FtEQ ESM specificity with regard to texts, and for comments related to anticipated
action on this issue from Senator Burton's office.
X UNANIMOUS(ABS9NT - — a
AYES: NOES:
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY
OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED
May 9. 2000
ee: County Administrator's Office PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Dr.William Walker,Director w Health Services SUPERVISORS AND Cjj0UNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BYh"
�' �
DEPUTY
w /
The Boarb of Supervisors
of Contra Costa CountN
In the,tatter of Resolution No.
s rte the Passage
�f�'" e�l�]dill x8tx�
WMREAS1 one of everN five Americans experiences a mental bisorber i n�given-year,anb
l al f of all Americans have such bisorbers at some time in their lives;anb
W HRWI nearf�two-t6irbs of those suffering from mental illness ever seek treatment of
anN kinb;anb
WBBR,EMI the positive mental 6ealtlj of all our citizens contr' Utes to a more bealtl�anb
successful community;anb
W R,BM current law boes not provibe anN legal auto 'tvy to intervene earlier to prevent
mental illnesses from becoming more severe or to give the inbivib l a better opportunity for more
effective treatment,nor is there aq legal requirement or provi on for the necessarq structureb anb
superviseb follow-up mental bealt6 care necessary in the com unity upon release from involuntarq
betention;anb
WFDRkMSt Assemblry Bill 1800 will upbate a reorganize the 3o dear olb involuntary
commitment anb treatment laws o the Lanterman Pe is short Act to provibe more timer intervention
or t�e mentall ill in a more time anb less restrict' e setting;anb
for
WJUM,EMj Assembf�Bill 1800 wool Bate a six-month assisteb outpatient program option
for those who are stable anb woulb benefit fro 'uperviseb,comprebensive treatment on an out-patient
basin anb
,j
WMR,BMI this upbate will at ' provibe an appropriation of$350 million to provibe the
community services necessary to imple ent suclj a program;and
t
WHEREAS, the passage Assembly Bill 1800 will prevent tl e loss of billions of bollars per
dear paib out in excessive sick lea e anb low-probuctivit tbrougb untreated bepression in tlje work place,
woulb eliminate tl e loss off f unb1. ' aib b the state for multiple involuntary bolbs for people wbo bo not
seek out mental bealtb service anb will assist our criminal justice system b�provibing a sa f etv�net for
the bisproportionate number; untreateb mentalfN ill persons who are incarcerateb.
NOW, PORI)BE IT MOLVBI)that the Boarb of supervisors of the CountN of
Contra Costa,Cali f or, a,boes 6er6�approve a resolution of support for the passage of Assembly Bill
1800.
PASS unanimous vote of tlje Boarb members present on t is 9tl bad of mq,z000.
16ereb cer*t�at the foregoing is a true anb correct coM o a resolution extereb on t�e minutes of t�a Boarb of
Supervisors on a bate a f oresaib.
W1 's ljanb anb tl e Seal of tG e Boarb of Supervisors
of f ixeb on 's gd)of mq,loco,
PHIL B Clea of tie Boarb of Supervisors
anb Country Abininist r
Deputy
t b�/
or Joe Canciamif fa
✓ ,- Disjfict V