General (2)
Susana Barrios
From:durfeycraig778@gmail.com
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'PIO Department'
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] Inspire a love of gardening in youngsters by making it fun/Greening
schools and surrounding neighborhoods also has the potential to boost academic
achievement by improving students' ability to concentrate.
Attachments:Who's Living in Your Backyard and Neighborhood.pdf; Fun Plants for Kids __ Melinda
Myers.html; Inspire a love of gardening in youngsters by making it fun - St George
News.html; AB 638 (Quirk-Silva) - As Amended March 26, 2021202120220AB638
_Assembly Health.pdf
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attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
06-17-2023
(P.R.D.D.C.)
PARENTS FOR THE RIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN
CRAIG A. DURFEY FOUNDER OF P.R.D.D.C.
U.S. HOUSE OF CONGRESS H2404 - HONORING CRAIG DURFEY FOR HIS FIGHT AGAINST AUTISM
... Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2003-03-27/pdf/CREC-2003-03-27.pdf
new website socialemotionalpaws.org
1
To whom it may concern.
With adolescent growing impact with social media screentime, isolation from the
addictions, brain injury having ways to address this with real benefits from Echo
Therapy Ecotherapy, also known as nature therapy or green therapy
(socialemotionalpaws.com) natures green Nature therapy, also referred to as
ecotherapy, is an umbrella term for therapy programs and guided nature-based activities
intended to improve mental health. Types of nature therapy include forest bathing,
horticultural therapy, wilderness therapy, and animal-assisted therapy. Adults can also
with mental health can also benefit from urban forest with dog ,horse, water therapy
suffer PTSD.
Request a letter of support to address the lack of awareness Echo Therapy with a mental
health crises below story about one of many news stories with links ought to inspire our
elected leaders, schools, to harness the true power of natures provides us that seems to
mis-understood leaving communities without the opportunities to enrich the holistic
benefits enhance wellness.
FEATURE — Gardening is good for the mind, body and spirit. It is also good for the
youngsters in our lives. Research shows gardening helps relieve stress, improve focus,
positively impacts mood and psychological well-being, builds a sense of confidence, and
more.
Look for creative ways to get children involved in gardening. Tap into other
interests or skills like art, reading, writing, insects, math, and computers if you
need to persuade reluctant participants into growing plants.
Include lots of colors and unique plants that kids will love. Crested celosia
resembles brains, making it a good choice for the zombie fans in the group.
Eyeball plant (Acmella oleracea), balloon plant (Gomphocarpus physocarpus) with its
hairy inflated seedpods, snake plant, and kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos favidus) are a
few to consider. Gardeners of all ages will appreciate the popcorn plant (Senna
didymobotrya) with its buttered popcorn-scented leaves or bat-faced cuphea and the
hummingbirds it will attract.
Consider adding features that make the garden a fun space to visit. There is a reason
bean teepees, sunflower houses, and tunnels in the garden have remained popular with
kids of all ages for decades. Or grow a garden shaped like a slice of pizza planted with all
2
the key ingredients or a salsa garden. Everyone will benefit when using freshly harvested
ingredients to create these dishes.
Including a teepee or using it as a trellis for pole
beans is a fun addition to any kid’s garden, location and date unspecified | Photo
courtesy of MelindaMyers.com, St. George News
A pot or flat of grass makes a nice field for superheroes and a lawn for dolls. A bare
patch of soil is perfect for digging, driving cars and trucks, or sculpting hills and valleys.
All these build skills that can be applied to future gardening efforts.
Plant some salad radishes that are ready to harvest in 25 to 30 days. This will help keep
the kids interested in the garden when waiting for the tomatoes, beans and other
vegetables to ripen. Call it harvesting when you are thinning the radish planting. Use
these greens as a snack or in a salad. Harvesting and eating is more fun for all of us than
just thinning the excess plants.
Use rainy days to create plant labels from paint sticks or stones. Paint individual words
on some of the stones and place them in the garden. Let children leave messages for
each other or write poetry. Or repurpose pickle jars into garden treasure jars. Have
children decorate the jars. Then you fill the jars with messages or treasures before
hiding them in the garden.
Explore ways to reuse and recycle landscape trimmings. Put twigs to use creating small-
scale wattle fences for a fairy, gnome or zombie garden. This is great practice for
building a larger-scale wattle fence for the garden.
3
Go on a bug hunt to see who is living in your garden, yard or neighborhood. Look for good
bugs like lady beetles that eat plant-damaging aphids and bees that pollinate our
flowers. Then log what you find in a backyard journal.
Gentle guidance, realistic expectations, and age-appropriate activities will help get kids
excited about gardening. The gardens they create and the plants they grow are often
amazing but more importantly, it is the experience of growing together that makes it
worthwhile.
Copyright Melinda Myers, LLC, all rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including The Midwest
Gardener’s Handbook and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to
Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV &
radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine.
Her web site is www.melindamyers.com.
(2) Inspire a love of gardening in youngsters by making it fun – St George News
(stgeorgeutah.com)
CA EDUCATION CODE FOR GARDENS § 51795 WASTE MANAEGMENT
(socialemotionalpaws.com)
Living Schoolyard Month Designates the month of May 2014 (socialemotionalpaws.com)
Green Schoolyards America (socialemotionalpaws.com)
https://socialemotionalpaws.com/blog-post-1/f/green-schoolyards-america
Greening for academic achievement: Prioritizing what to plant and
(socialemotionalpaws.com)
Ecotherapy, also known as nature therapy or green therapy (socialemotionalpaws.com)
The Impact of Schoolyard Greening on Children’s Physical Activity
(socialemotionalpaws.com)
https://socialemotionalpaws.com/blog-post-1/f/greening-for-academic-achievement-
prioritizing-what-to-plant-and
https://socialemotionalpaws.com/blog-post-1/f/trust-for-public-land
S.1538 - Living Schoolyards Act of 2023 (socialemotionalpaws.com)
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Trees in Schoolyards – San Diego Regional Urban Forests Council (sdrufc.com)
Why trees in schoolyards? (socialemotionalpaws.com)
https://socialemotionalpaws.com/blog-post-1/f/trust-for-public-land
https://socialemotionalpaws.com/blog-post-1/f/california-lawmakers-advance-bill-to-cool-
down-outside-areas-at-s
https://socialemotionalpaws.com/blog-post-1/f/heinrich-introduces-living-schoolyards-act-
to-create-unique-heal
https://socialemotionalpaws.com/blog-post-1/f/learning-about-trees-in-schools
Green space is vital to the health to all having a full canopy of trees recommended ,
parks ratios to match population density, gardens, education can have tangible benefits
increasing awareness to encourage more training how Echo Therapy licenses would all
benefits
Thank You
Craig A Durfey
5
AB 638
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 6, 2021
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
Jim Wood, Chair
AB 638 (Quirk-Silva) – As Amended March 26, 2021
SUBJECT: Mental Health Services Act: early intervention and prevention programs.
SUMMARY: Revises the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) by authorizing the use of
Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) funds for prevention and early intervention strategies
that address mental health needs, substance misuse or substance use disorders, or needs relating
to co-occurring mental health substance use. Specifically, this bill:
1) Revises MHSA by authorizing the use of PEI funds for prevention and early intervention
strategies that address mental health needs, substance misuse or substance use disorders, or
needs relating to co-occurring mental health substance use.
2) Finds and declares that this bill is consistent with and furthers the intent of the MHSA.
EXISTING LAW:
1) Establishes the MHSA, enacted by voters in 2004 as Proposition 63, to provide funds to
counties to expand services, develop innovative programs, and integrated service plans for
mentally ill children, adults, and seniors through a 1% income tax on personal income above
$1 million.
2) Establishes the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission
(MHSOAC) to oversee the implementation of MHSA, made up of 16 members appointed by
the Governor, and the Legislature, as specified.
3) Specifies that the MHSA can only be amended by a two -thirds vote of both houses of the
Legislature and only as long as the amendment is consistent with and furthers the intent of
the MHSA. Permits provisions clarifying the procedures and terms of the MHSA to be
amended by majority vote.
4) Authorizes the provision of services through the PEI component of the MHSA, to mental
health clients in order to help prevent mental illness from becoming severe and disabling.
5) Authorizes the services for adults, older adults, and children, as well as innovative programs
and PEI programs that are provided by counties as part of the MHSA to include substance
use disorder (SUD) treatment for children, adults, and older adults with c o-occurring mental
health and SUD who are eligible to receive mental health services under these programs.
6) Authorizes the use of MHSA funds to perform an assessment of whether a person has co -
occurring mental health and SUDs and to treat a person who is initially assessed to have co-
occurring mental health and SUDs, even when the person is later determined not to be
eligible for services provided with MHSA funds.
AB 638
Page 2
7) Requires that a person being treated for co -occurring mental health and SUDs who is
determined to not need the mental health services eligible under this act, be referred to SUD
treatment services in a timely manner.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. This bill has not been heard by a fiscal committee.
COMMENTS:
1) PURPOSE OF THIS BILL. According to the author, some people living with serious
mental illness (SMI) simultaneously experience alcohol and drug use disorders, thus
complicating diagnosis and treatment. A third of adults who receive county mental health
services for SMI, have a co-occurring SUD. The stakes for these individuals is especially
high. People with drug or alcohol use disorders are almost six times more likely to attempt
suicide than those without a drug or alcohol use disorder. Removing programmatic barriers in
serving these individuals with mental health and co-occurring SUDs was an important first
step with the adoption of AB 2265 (Quirk-Silva), Chapter 144, Statutes of 2020; however,
the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need to do more. Unfortunately, this pandemic
has affected children and adults in unprecedented ways. Anxiety, depression, isolation, and
feelings of despair as well as suicide attempts have increased dramatically among adults,
school-aged children and young adults. In concluding, the author states that many who had
underlying or diagnosed mental health and SUDs are now dealing with an increased need for
services and treatment.
2) BACKGROUND.
a) MHSA. Proposition 63, the MHSA was approved by voters in November 2004. The
MHSA imposes a 1% income tax on personal income in excess of $1 million. It created
the 16 member MHSOAC charged with overseeing the implementation of MHSA. The
MHSA addresses a broad continuum of prevention, early intervention and service needs
as well as providing funding for infrastructure, technology, and training needs for the
community mental health system. During the of strong economic growth in the state, the
measure raises about $2 billion annually for services such as preventing mental illness
from progressing, reducing stigma, and improving treatment. Altogether, counties have
received upwards of $16.5 billion.
The funds are distributed to County mental health agencies. Counties receive monthly
distributions of MHSA funds from the State Controller’s Office, based on the amount of
revenues generated by the tax. These County funds are earmarked by law into three
primary funding components. Eighty percent of the funds are attributed to Community
Services and Supports (CSS) and 20% to PEI. The counties then are required to use 5%
of the CSS and PEI amounts exclusively to fund Innovative Projects (leaving 76 % of the
original allocation in CSS and 19% in PEI). Counties may then elect to transfer a portion
of CSS funds received in any year to one or more of three further categories: Wor kforce
Education and Training; Capital Facilities and Technological Needs; and, a “Prudent
Reserve” fund.
Target populations under MHSA include children and adolescents with serious emotional
disturbance and transition-aged youth who are unserved, underserved, or inappropriately
served (e.g., homeless, frequent hospital users, individuals with criminal justice history).
AB 638
Page 3
The PEI component is to prevent mental illness from becoming severe and disabling. In
2020, AB 2265 clarified counties can treat patients with mental health and co -occurring
SUDs under MHSA. This was an important first step to remove programmatic barriers in
serving these individuals with mental health and co -occurring SUDS.
The MHSA contains a provision that specifies the MHSA can only be amended by a two-
thirds vote of both houses of the Legislature and only as long as the amendment is
consistent with and furthers the intent of the MHSA. Provisions that clarify the
procedures and terms of the MHSA can be amended by a majority vote of both houses of
the Legislature. Any other proposed use of MHSA funds or change in terms of usage
would require the MHSA be amended by voter approval.
b) MHSOAC Report on Co-Occurring Disorder: In November 2007, the MHSOAC
authorized a 19-member Workgroup on Co-occurring Disorders (COD) to develop
comprehensive recommendations to address the needs of individuals with co -occurring
mental illness and substance abuse. The COD Workgroup, which met from November
2007 through June 2008, heard briefings by state leaders and experts on the status of the
treatment of CODs in California. A report entitled, “Transforming the Mental Health
System Through Integration” was issued and the key findings and recommendation to
improve the capacity of state and county policy makers and program administrators to
address the needs of individuals with CODs follows :
i) The central finding of the COD workgroup is that CODs are pervasive and disabling,
yet individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse are among
California’s most underserved;
ii) Individuals with CODs touch every part of our health system. They have more
medical problems, poorer treatment outcomes, more negative social consequences ,
and lower quality of life. They are disproportionately represented among arrestees,
foster care placements, veterans, hospitalizations and the homeless. The enormous
social consequences of untreated COD prompted the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration to identify the treatment CODS as our nation’s
highest priority;
iii) Individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse are among
California’s most underserved . Numerous studies demonstrate that integrated care is
necessary for successful treatment of CODs. To meet the needs of individuals with
COD, there can be “no wrong door” to access treatment. Availability of
comprehensively integrated treatment for mental health and substance abuse
problems is currently the exception rather than the rule. The unmet need for
integrated mental health, alcohol and drug abuse treatment in underserved racial and
ethnic communities is even greater;
iv) Approximately one-half of the people who have one of these conditions - a mental
illness or a substance abuse disorder - also have the other condition. The proportion
of co-occurrence may be even higher in adolescent populations. The onset of a
diagnosable mental disorder often precedes the onset of a SUD, with SUDs
developing typically 5-10 years later in late adolescence or early adulthood. CODs
are the norm, not the exception;
v) CODs are disabling. Individuals with COD have more medical problems, poorer
treatment outcomes, greater social consequences , and lower quality of life. They have
more relapses, re-hospitalization, depression and suicidality, interpersonal violence,
AB 638
Page 4
housing instability and homelessness, incarceration, treatment non-compliance, HIV,
family burden, and service utilization; and,
vi) Insufficient support for integrated COD programs leads to a paucity of treatment
facilities and properly trained clinicians. Both are essential to provide the full
spectrum of necessary care. The lack of such facilities and expertise restricts access to
service not just for outpatient care, but also for inpatient mental health units with
C OD capability.
c) Trends in California Drug Overdose Deaths. California Health Policy Strategies, a
Sacramento-based consulting firm with a deep commitment to policies that will improve
California’s health care system, issued a policy brief in January of 2021, entitled “Trends
in California Drug Overdose Deaths.” The brief reported that drug-related overdose
fatalities have risen 50% since 2017. Overdose fatalities are rising faster in California
than in the United States in general where overdose deaths are up 15% over the last three
years. Other key findings are:
i) Drug-related overdose is now a top 10 leading cause of death. In the 12 months
between June 2019 and June 2020 there were at least 7,254 overdose deaths, which
equals approximately 17 overdose fatalities per 100,000 state residents. Accidental
drug overdoses kill twice as many people as car accidents;
ii) The rate of overdose deaths related to synthetic opioids (e.g. Fentanyl) has risen by
541% over the last three years. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of opioid -related
overdose deaths and 37% of all drug-related overdose fatalities involve fentanyl;
iii) The raw number of drug-related overdose deaths are rising in both California and the
United States. Preliminary mortality records indicate that in the 12 -month period June
2019 and June 2020 there were at least 7,254 drug overdose deaths in California and
over 81,003 in the United States. The number of overdose fatalities is rising faster in
California than it is in the United States. In California, overdose deaths are up 50%
and in the United States overdose deaths are up 15% since the 12 -month period June
2016 to June 2017. The age-adjusted rate of drug overdose death has also risen
dramatically over the last three years and is at an all-time high; there are
approximately 17 overdose deaths per 100,000 state residents; and,
iv) Overdose death rates are highly variable across counties in California. In 2019, the
average rate of all drug-related overdose deaths across the state was 19.6 deaths per
100,000 state residents and the median was 17.3 deaths per 100,000 state residents.
3) SUPPORT. The Racial and Ethnic Mental Health Disparities Coalition (REMHDCO) in
support of this bill states that mental health disorders are among t he most common health
conditions faced by Californians. Nearly one in six California adults experience a mental
illness of some kind, and one in 24 have a serious mental illness that makes it difficult to
carry out major life activities. Additionally, one in 13 children have an emotional disturbance
that limits participation in daily activities. Left untreated, these illnesses impact qualify of
life and survival. REMHDCO concludes by stating that unfortunately, the COVID-19
pandemic has also affected children and adults in unprecedented ways. Many who had
underlying or diagnosed mental health and SUDs are now dealing with an increased need for
services and treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need to do more.
4) OPPOSITION. The California Right to Life Committee (CRLC), in opposition, states
concerns about the apparent lack if any significant improvement in the quality of life for
AB 638
Page 5
those suffering from mental illness and questions how more funding will now ensure the
quality of life for those livin g with mental illness. CRLC concludes by asking, specifically
what new programs are envisioned?
5) RELATED LEGISLATION.
a) AB 686 (Arambula) requires the California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS)
to establish the California Community-Based Behavioral Health Outcomes and
Accountability Review to facilitate a local accountability system that fosters continuous
quality improvement in county behavioral health programs and in the collection and
dissemination by the agency of best practices in service delive ry. AB 686 is pending in
the Assembly Health Committee.
b) AB 573 (Carrillo) establishes the California Youth Mental Health Board within HHS to
advise the Governor and Legislature o n the challenges facing youth with mental health
needs and determine opportunities for improvement. Requires each community mental
health service to have a local youth mental health board to advise the county mental
health programs, school districts, and other entities on issues relating to youth mental
health. AB 573 is pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee
c) SB 749 (Glazer and Eggman), requires the MHSOAC, in consultation with state and local
mental health authorities, to create a comprehensive tracking program for county
spending on mental and behavioral health programs and services, as specified, including
funding sources, funding utilization, and outcome data at the program, service, and
statewide levels. SB 749 is pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
6) PREVIOUS LEGISLATION.
a) AB 2265 authorizes the services for adults, older adults, and children, as well as
innovative programs and prevention and early intervention programs that are provided by
counties as part of the MHSA to include substance use disorder treatment for children,
adults, and older adults with co -occurring mental health and SUD who are eligible to
receive mental health services pursuant to those programs.
b) AB 2266 (Quirk-Silva) of 2020, would have required the Department of Health Care
Services (DHCS) to establish a pilot program in up to 10 counties and would have
authorized funding to be used by participating counties to treat a person with co -
occurring mental health and SUDs when the person would be eligible for treatment of the
mental health disorder pursuant to the MHSA. AB 2266 was not heard in the Assembly
Health Committee due to the shortened Legislative calendar brought on by the COVID -
19 pandemic.
c) SB 10 (Beall) of 2019, would have required DHCS to establish, a statewide peer support
specialist certification program, as a part of the state’s comprehensive mental health and
SUD delivery system and the Medi-Cal program. Would have required the certification
program’s components to include, among others, defining responsibilities, practice
guidelines, and supervision standards, determining curriculum and core competencies,
specifying training and continuing education requirements, establishing a code of ethics,
and determining a certification revocation process. SB 10 was vetoed by the Governor
with the following message:
AB 638
Page 6
“This bill would require DHCS to establish a new state certification program
for mental health and SUD peer support specialists. Peer support services can
play an important role in meeting individuals' behavioral health care needs by
pairing those individuals with trained "peers" who offer assistance with
navigating local community behavioral health systems and provide needed
support. Currently, counties may opt to use peer support services for the
delivery of Medicaid specialty mental health services. As the Administration,
in partnership with the Legislature and counties, works to transform the state's
behavioral health care delivery system, we have an opportunity to more
comprehensively include peer support services in these transformation plans.”
d) SB 1004 (Wiener), Chapter 843, Statutes of 2018, requires the MHSOAC, on or
before January 1, 2020, to establish priorities for the use of PEI funds and to develop
a statewide strategy for monitoring implementation of PEI services, including
enhancing public understanding of PEI and cre ating metrics for assessing the
effectiveness of how PEI funds are used and the outcomes that are achieved.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Behavioral Health Directors Association
Racial and Ethnic Mental Health Disparities Coalition
Opposition
California Right to Life Committee, Inc.
Analysis Prepared by: Judith Babcock / HEALTH / (916) 319-2097