It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter achieve all of the following:
(a) Expand the provision of high quality Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) programs at the county level in California.
(b) Increase the number of PEI programs and systems, including those utilizing community-defined practices, that focus on reducing disparities for unserved, underserved, and inappropriately served racial, ethnic, and cultural communities.
(c) Reduce unnecessary hospitalizations, homelessness, suicides, and inpatient days by appropriately utilizing community-based services and improving timely access to prevention and early intervention services.
(d) Increase participation in community activities, school attendance, social interactions, physical and primary health care services, personal bonding relationships, and rehabilitation, including employment and daily living function development for clients.
(e) Increase collaboration and coordination among primary care, mental health, and aging service providers, and reduce hesitance to seek treatment and services due to mental health stigma.
(f) Create a more focused approach for PEI requirements.
(g) Increase programmatic and fiscal oversight of county MHSA-funded PEI programs.
(h) Encourage counties to coordinate and blend funding streams and initiatives to ensure services are integrated across systems.
(i) Encourage counties to leverage innovative technology platforms.
(j) Reflect the stated goals as outlined in the PEI component of the MHSA, as stated in Section 5840.
(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 843, Sec. 3. (SB 1004) Effective January 1, 2019.)