Update on California 2019- 2020 budget items re: child adversity

California's 2019-2020 state budget was enacted on June 27. It includes new investments for vulnerable children and youth. Full info is here: http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/budg...20EN/#/BudgetSummary .

Budget highlights include:

• Screening for developmental delays and trauma: $105 million ($52.5 million one-time Prop 56 funding) for developmental and trauma screenings and $50 million ($25 million Prop 56 one-time funding) for provider training to deliver trauma screenings in Medi-Cal. Additionally, the budget includes language requiring the Department of Health Care Services to collaborate with various accredited entities in developing a provider training curriculum for trauma screening and to develop the structure and parameters for payments and rate increases for screenings and provider training.
• The Family Urgent Response System (FURS): $15 million in 2019-2020 and $30 million ongoing to establish FURS, a 24/7 statewide hotline and county mobile response system. This response system will help ensure foster youth and caregivers can access trauma-informed supports during critical moments.
• Rapid Rehousing: $19 million for rapid rehousing of homeless and housing insecure students in the California State University, the University of California, and the California Community College systems.
• Youth Reinvestment Grant Program: $5 million to divert children and youth from the juvenile justice system by providing trauma-informed services and alternatives to arrest and incarceration.
• Home Visiting: $90.3 million for the newly created CalWORKs Home Visiting Initiative and $45.9 million for the California Department of Public Health California Home Visiting Program.
• Mental health youth drop-in centers: Through the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, $15 million from Mental Health Services Fund one-time for establishing local centers to provide integrated youth mental health services.
• Mental health services for students: $50 million in Proposition 63 funding ($10 million of this is ongoing) to provide competitive grants to partnerships between county mental or behavioral health departments and school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education; and funding to provide mental health services for higher education students at: community colleges ($7 million one-time Proposition 63), California State University ($3 million one-time Proposition 63), and the University of California ($5.3 million ongoing General Fund).
• Mental health workforce: Approves $60 million (Prop. 63 and General Fund) to fund the five-year Workforce Education and Training (WET) plan to train mental health professionals, as well as $2 million one-time to fund pediatric residencies.

For more information, please contact Kelly Hardy at khardy@childrennow.org