At the beginning of 2020, California implemented around 870 new laws. While most we will not notice, some will affect us significantly.

Under SB78 Californian’s must have health insurance or face significant penalties. Added in with this bill is a cluster of others making it easier to get insurance, lowering the cost of premiums and a longer window to sign up for insurance under Covered California.

To go along with SB78 is another SB104. California is the first to do this – for those under 25, legal immigrants or not, to receive affordable healthcare under Medi-Cal; expanding Medi-Cal already with medical, dental and eye coverage.

With all these changes underway, California launched a Behavioral Health Task Force, chaired by Dr. Ghaly, to address the urgent mental health and substance abuse issues arising in the state to help stabilize the necessities before they become too severe.

Governor Newsom has taken charge of the mental health and substance abuse crisis by proposing a budget of $500M in funding to provide accommodations for the suffering homeless. An additional $100M will go to those in dire need of behavioral health – physical and mental.

This California Governor is demanding 58 counties spend their money on the homeless and those in need of behavioral health services, threatening to have their budget gone by June 30 of this year. Newsom is focusing all his efforts on primarily two things – mental health reform & the homeless crisis.

Posted in 2020 News