• On Sept. 25, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills that “will improve access to quality mental health and substance use disorder services for all Californians, as well as measures that help homeless Californians suffering from behavioral health challenges access the help they need,” according to the governor’s office. In February, the governor proposed reforms to address these needs in his 2020 State of the State address, and some of those reforms were signed into law with this bill package. “Earlier this year, I pledged to put these critical services within reach of more Californians, through reforming our Mental Health Services Act [MHSA] and laws that allow loved ones and service providers to ask courts to compel those who need treatment into community-based outpatient care,” Newsom said in a Sept. 25 media release. “Today, we do just that.” One of the new laws is Assembly Bill 1976 by Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton), which expands county use of court-ordered outpatient treatment. “As a social worker I’ve long fought for the extension of these critical services, and expanding this program and finally making it permanent will ensure greater care for the people of California,” Eggman said in the release. Newsom also signed Assembly Bill 2265 by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) into law. The bill “clarifies that specified MHSA funds can be used for treatment of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders,” which will increase access to substance use disorder treatment.
• On Sept. 22, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) voted to keep the government open and funded through Dec. 11 and avoid a government shutdown. The continuing resolution was passed by a bipartisan majority and “includes nutrition assistance for children and families, provides assistance for the agriculture community, extends highway and transit programs for another year, keeps critical health care programs from expiring, and prevents a hike on health care costs for seniors,” according to Carbajal’s office. “We’re contending with a global pandemic, economic downturn, historic levels of unemployment, and record-breaking wildfires,” Carbajal said in a statement. “Now is not the time for partisan games, and I am glad that we have come together to keep the government open.” The bill also renews and expands the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Program for another year. The program “provides grocery vouchers for low-income families amid school closures,” the release stated. “There was a point in my life when my family relied on nutrition assistance programs, and I’ve fought to protect and expand these programs ever since,” Carbajal said in the release. “This isn’t a partisan issue, and I will keep fighting tooth and nail to make sure hungry children continue receiving healthy, nutritious meals despite school closures.”
• Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) recently received endorsements from two local mayors. On Sept. 18, Cunningham announced in a press release that Arroyo Grande Mayor Caren Ray Russom had endorsed him. “As our assemblyman, Jordan has been a strong, independent voice who works hard for all the people he represents,” Russom, a Democrat, said in the release. “He is unafraid to cross the aisle and stand strong for working families and to help cut red tape for us at the state level. Time and time again he has shown that he will put people over partisan politics.” Then, on Sept. 23, Cunningham announced that he had received an endorsement from Pismo Beach Mayor Ed Waage, a Republican. “The Central Coast deserves an independent assemblymember who gets things done for our community,” Waage said in a press release. “Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Jordan has been an engaged representative and delivered critical resources for the Central Coast.”
This article appears in Oct 1-8, 2020.