California Senate Bill 614 (SB-614)SB 614 (Not to be confused with AB 614) is a bill authored by California Senator Mark Leno, and sponsored by County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California, of which Keren Stockton, the Director of Modoc County Behavioral Health is a member.

The bill addresses Medi-Cal: mental health services: peer, parent, transition-age, and family support specialist certification.

Links: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB614

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_614&sess=CUR&house=B&author=leno_%3Cleno%3E

The bill is an act to add Article 1.4 (commencing with Section 14045.10) to Chapter 7 of Part 3 of Division 9 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code in California, relating to Medi-Cal.

The bill requires the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to establish a program for certifying peer and family support specialists (PFSS) and to collaborate with interested stakeholders and allows DHCS to seek any federal waivers or state plan amendments to implement the certification program.

If SB 614 is signed into effect by Governor of California, then OSHPD (California's Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development) will be in charge of the certification procedures.

Question: How will this bill impact peers that are currently working in Behavioral Health? Answer: The first set of amendments drafted for this bill adds a grandfather clause to address this issue, so those already working are included in this bill.

Progress so far…

04/13/2015 Senate Committee Analyses

04/15/15 (PASS) Senate Health Committee Do pass, first re-referred to Appropriations

04/27/15 (PASS) Senate Appropriations Analyses & votes Placed on suspense file

05/28/15 (PASS) Senate Appropriations Committee votes Do pass

05/31/2015 Senate Floor Analyses

06/01/15 (PASS) Senate Floor votes 3rd Reading of SB614 Senator Leno. Ordered to Assembly

07/10/2015 Assembly Committee Analyses

07/14/15 (PASS) Assembly Health Committee votes Do pass as amended and re-referred to Appropriations

08/26/2015 Assembly Appropriations Committee Read second time amended.