As mentioned last week – it’s the time of year when California’s legislators start to consider new bills to introduce. CSAP is considering many different ideas for possible sponsorship and/ or co-sponsorship in 2022. Below are additional suggestions submitted by some of you since last Friday:
- Fund or mandate a state-wide examination into disparities in mental health care; including but not limited to access, conservatorship and LPS application, chemical restraint use in emergency departments, diversion from incarceration, substance use care, professional advancement of providers, and recruitment of providers from backgrounds that reflect California’s diversity.
- Create a methamphetamine task force.
- Ensure standards of certification and re-certification and quality assurance for nurse practitioners (NPs) and psychiatric NPs that reflects the large expansion in prescribing privileges.
- Guarantee evidence-based safe treatments for mental health and substance use disorders for incarcerated individuals, including Sublocade for OUD, Clozaril access for patients already on the medication, and LAI access. Incarcerated individuals should also be given the option to receive care (therapy, meds) from providers outside of the criminal justice system who can continue care upon release to decrease stigma, decrease secondary gain, and decrease conflicts of interest.
Really grateful for the feedback and creative thinking! Have thoughts on any of the ones above? Have a suggestion that you would like to make? Just email Paul Yoder of SYASL at paul@syaslpartners.com.
