(a) The State Department of Health Care Services shall utilize a joint state-county decisionmaking process to determine the appropriate use of state and local training, technical assistance, and regulatory resources to meet the mission and goals of the state’s mental health and substance use disorder services system. The department shall use the decisionmaking collaborative process required by this section in all of the following areas:

(1) Providing technical assistance to personnel of the State Department of Health Care Services and local behavioral health, mental health, and substance use disorder services departments through direction of existing state and local mental health and substance use disorder services staff and other resources.

(2) Analyzing mental health and substance use disorder programs, policies, and procedures.

(3) Providing forums on specific topics as they relate to the following:

(A) Identifying current level of services.

(B) Evaluating existing needs and gaps in current services.

(C) Developing strategies for achieving statewide goals and objectives in the provision of services for the specific area.

(D) Developing plans to accomplish the identified goals and objectives.

(4) Providing forums on policy development and direction with respect to mental health and substance use disorder program operations and clinical issues.

(5) Identifying and funding a statewide training and technical assistance entity jointly governed by local behavioral health, mental health, and substance use disorder services directors and mental health and substance use disorder constituency representation, which can do all of the following:

(A) Coordinate state and local resources to support training and technical assistance to promote quality mental health and substance use disorder programs.

(B) Coordinate training and technical assistance to ensure efficient and effective program development.

(C) Provide essential training and technical assistance, as determined by the state-county decisionmaking process.

(b) Local behavioral health, mental health, and substance use disorder services board members shall be included in discussions pursuant to Section 4060 when the following areas are discussed:

(1) Training and education program recommendations.

(2) Establishment of statewide forums for all organizations and individuals involved in mental health and substance use disorder matters to meet and discuss program and policy issues.

(3) Distribution of information between the state, local mental health and substance use disorder programs, local mental health and substance use disorder services boards, and other organizations as appropriate.

(c) The State Department of Health Care Services and local mental health and substance use disorder services departments may provide staff or other resources, including travel reimbursement, for consultant and advisory services; for the training of personnel, board members, or consumers and families in state and local programs and in educational institutions and field training centers approved by the department; and for the establishment and maintenance of field training centers.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 31, Sec. 44. (SB 857) Effective June 20, 2014.)