California Announces New Investments in Youth Suicide Prevention
SACRAMENTO — Recognizing Suicide Prevention Month, California is investing $16.3 million in youth suicide prevention efforts. Through through the California Department of Public Health or CDPH, the state is awarding grants to tribal entities and community-based organizations to support the state’s Youth Suicide Prevention Media and Outreach Campaign. Additionally, as Californians continue to return to school, CDPH is announcing two new resource hubs for youth, families, caregivers, teachers, and schools: Youth Suicide Prevention Hub & Back-to-School Mental Health Hub.
Details: https://tinyurl.com/CA-mental-health-resources
California’s Mental Health Transformation Overwhelmingly Passes the Legislature
SACRAMENTO — The California State Legislature Sept. 14 passed two key bills to modernize the State’s behavioral health care system and better address today’s needs. The bills dedicate billions of dollars to new behavioral health housing, create new accountability and transparency, and provide funding for key behavioral health infrastructure and workforce across the state.
Senate Bill 326 (Eggman, D – Stockton) modernizes the Mental Health Services Act to address today’s behavioral health system and demand for services. These reforms expand services to include treatment for those with substance use disorders, prioritize care for those with the most serious mental illness, provide ongoing resources for housing and workforce, and continue investments in prevention, early intervention, and innovative pilot programs.
Assembly Bill 531 (Irwin, D – Thousand Oaks) includes a $6.38 billion general obligation bond to build 10,000 new treatment beds and supportive housing units to help serve more than 100,000 people annually. This investment creates new, dedicated housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness who have behavioral health needs, with a dedicated investment to serve veterans. These settings will provide Californians experiencing behavioral health conditions a place to stay while safely stabilizing, healing, and receiving ongoing support. Included in the bond is a $1 billion set aside specifically for veterans’ housing.
Gov. Newsom has until Oct. 14 to take action on the legislation. Once signed by the Governor, this modernization of the state’s mental health services system and accompanying bond will head to Californians voters for approval. Senate Bill 326 and Assembly Bill 531 will appear jointly on the March 2024 ballot as Proposition 1.
Details: https://tinyurl.com/CA-Mental-Health-Services
California Becomes First State in America to Call for Constitutional Convention on Right to Safety
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to amend the United States Constitution with a Right to Safety achieved a milestone Sept. 14 as California became the first state in the nation to call for a Constitutional Convention for gun safety.
With the Assembly’s approval of Senate Joint Resolution 7 authored by Senator Aisha Wahab and Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, California has officially requested a constitutional convention.
The Right to Safety Amendment would ensure the people’s elected representatives can determine what gun safety laws are appropriate for their communities and enshrine fundamental, broadly supported gun safety measures into law, including:
Raising the minimum age to buy a gun from 18 to 21
Mandating universal background checks
Instituting a waiting period for all gun purchases
Banning the sale of assault weapons and other weapons of war to civilians
Details: https://tinyurl.com/gun-safety-laws-work
Gov. Newsom Highlights Nearly $300 Million for Sustainable Water & Farming Projects
SACRAMENTO — In the face of a worsening climate crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom Sept. 12 highlighted the distribution of nearly $300 million to make California’s water supply more resilient and promote climate-smart agriculture.
Boosting Groundwater Storage: The Department of Water Resources or DWR awarded $187 million for 103 projects throughout the state to enhance groundwater monitoring, water use efficiency, groundwater recharge, recycled water and water quality. More than $160 million will directly benefit tribes and underrepresented communities. Read more about this announcement here.
Conserving Water and Capturing Carbon: The California Department of Food & Agriculture or CDFA today announced the award of more than $106 million in grants to 23 organizations to work with producers to design and implement carbon sequestration and irrigation efficiency projects. Read more about this announcement here.
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