AB 1098 Substance use disorders: youth programs

This bill is part of the 2019 Cannabis Bills section of our ongoing update on California Cannabis Legislation – see the full California Cannabis Law Legislative Update which includes information on cannabis bills from other years. 

AB 1098  (O’Donnell D)   Substance use disorders: youth programs.

The Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), an initiative statute approved by the voters at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, as Proposition 64, requires, among other things, the Controller, by July 15 of each fiscal year beginning in the 2018–19 fiscal year, to disburse 60% of the funds deposited in the California Cannabis Tax Fund during the prior fiscal year into the Youth Education, Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment Account, to be disbursed to the State Department of Health Care Services for programs for youth that are designed to educate about and to prevent substance use disorders and to prevent harm from substance use.

AUMA requires the programs to emphasize accurate education, effective prevention, early intervention, school retention, and timely treatment services for youth, their families, and their caregivers. AUMA requires the allocation of these funds to counties based on demonstrated need. AUMA requires the department to enter into interagency agreements with the State Department of Public Health and the State Department of Education to implement and administer these programs, and requires the departments to periodically evaluate the programs that they are funding to determine the effectiveness of the programs.

This bill would set forth procedures for the implementation and administration of programs funded by the above-described account, including the identification of targeted outcomes with unspecified metrics, the establishment of a technical advisory committee, required information to be provided by applicants for program funding, and progress reports to the Legislature.

The bill would require that an unspecified portion of funds be used to test innovative practices through pilot programs. The bill would set forth limitations on expenditures of funds at the state level and would require the development of a statewide workforce plan, as specified. The bill would require the interagency agreements established by the 3 departments to be regularly reevaluated and modified, as necessary, to ensure effective program administration.

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