AB2093 - State 988 system.

Amended IN Senate August 13, 2026 Amended IN Senate June 11, 2026 Amended IN Assembly March 26, 2026 Amended IN Assembly March 16, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2093 Introduced by Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan February 18, 2026 An act to amend Sections 53123.2, 53123.3, and 53123.4 of the Government Code, and to amend Sections 41135 and 41136 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, relating to mental health. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2093, as amended, Bauer-Kahan. State 988 system. Existing federal law, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, designates the 3-digit telephone number “988” as the universal number within the United States for the purpose of the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system operating through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Existing law, the Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act, requires, among other things, the California Health and Human Services Agency (agency) to create, no later than December 31, 2024, a set of recommendations to support a 5-year implementation plan for a comprehensive 988 system. Existing law requires the agency to convene a state 988 advisory group for purposes of advising the agency on the set of recommendations and requires the recommendations to include specified information. Existing law requires the advisory group to meet at least once per quarter until December 31, 2024. Existing law authorizes the agency to disband the advisory group on or after January 1, 2025. Existing law requires the agency, until December 31, 2029, to post regular updates, no less than annually, regarding the implementation of 988 on its public internet website. This bill would require the advisory group to meet at least once per quarter until December 31, 2029. The bill would authorize the agency to disband or reconvene the advisory group on or after January 1, 2030. The bill would require the above-described regular updates to include, among other things, the progress toward statewide interoperability between 988 and 911. The bill would require the agency to have the primary responsibility for statewide governance and implementation of the 988 system. The bill would require the agency to maintain a 988 System Governance Board to provide cross-agency coordination and oversight related to implementation of the 988 system, as specified. The bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services to be responsible for oversight of 988 center operations, among other things. Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services (office) to establish and convene the State 988 Technical Advisory Board for purposes of advising the office on, among other things, recommendations on the feasibility and plan for sustainable interoperability between 988, 911, and behavioral health crisis services. Existing law requires the advisory board to meet no less than quarterly until December 31, 2028. Existing law, after December 31, 2028, authorizes the office to disband the advisory board. Existing law requires the office to appoint a 988 system director to implement and oversee the policy and regulatory framework for the technology infrastructure, coordination, and transfer of calls between 988, 911, and behavioral health crisis services. This bill would require the advisory board to meet no less than quarterly until December 31, 2029, and thereafter, would authorize the office to disband or reconvene the advisory board. The bill would delete the requirement for the office to appoint a 988 system director. The bill, on or before December 31, 2029, would require the office, in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services, to procure, implement, and designate a single statewide interoperability platform capable of facilitating real-time communication and warm handoffs between 988 centers and 911 public safety answering points. The No later than June 1, 2027, the bill would require the Emergency Medical Services Authority, in consultation with the office and the State Department of Health Care Services, to develop and adopt mandatory statewide protocols governing the transfer of calls and communications from 911 public safety answering points to 988 centers, as specified. The bill would require the authority to consult with, among others, county behavioral health agencies to develop these protocols. Existing law establishes the 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund for the deposit of 988 surcharge revenue. Existing law requires 988 surcharge revenue to be prioritized to fund, among other things, the 988 centers, including the efficient and effective routing of telephone calls, personnel, and the provision of acute behavioral health services through telephone call, text, and chat to the 988 number. Existing law requires 988 surcharge revenue in the 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund to be available upon appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes. Existing law requires an entity seeking funds available through the 988 Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund to annually file an expenditure and outcomes report, as specified. This bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services to develop and maintain a statewide 3-year expenditure methodology for the 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund, as specified. The bill would require the methodology to be completed on or before June 30, 2027, and to first be used for, or before, the 2028–29 budget year. The bill would require the entity seeking funds to include in the report the net revenues, expenditures, and sources of revenues for 988 and receiving or seeking funds, as specified. The bill would also make conforming changes to the provisions relating to the disbursement of moneys in the 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 53123.2 of the Government Code is amended to read: 53123.2. (a) No later than July 16, 2022, the Office of Emergency Services shall verify that technology that allows for transfers between 988 centers, as well as between 988 centers and 911 public safety answering points, is available to 988 centers and 911 public safety answering points throughout California. (b) (1) No later than 90 days after the passage of this act, the office shall establish and convene the State 988 Technical Advisory Board for purposes of advising the office on all of the following: (A) Recommendations on the feasibility and plan for sustainable interoperability between 988, 911, and behavioral health crisis services, including the identification of any legal or regulatory barriers to the transfer of 911 calls. (B) The development of technical and operational standards for the 988 system that allow for coordination with California’s 911 system. (C) The creation of standards and protocols for when 988 centers will transfer 988 calls into the “911” public safety answering points or points (PSAP), or mobile crisis dispatch, including county behavioral health mobile crisis dispatch, and vice versa. (2) The board shall meet no less than quarterly until December 31, 2029. Following that date, the board may be disbanded or reconvened at the discretion of the office. (3) The board shall consist of a representative from the California Health and Human Services Agency and expert representatives, including, but not limited to, those from 988 centers, 911, and county behavioral health agencies, and behavioral health crisis service providers. (c) On or before December 31, 2029, the office, in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services, shall procure, implement, and designate a single statewide interoperability platform capable of facilitating real-time communication and warm handoffs between 988 centers centers, mobile crisis team dispatch, including county behavioral health mobile crisis teams, and 911 public safety answering points. (d) The office shall consult with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on any technology requirements for 988 centers. (e) The office shall retain responsibility for technical interoperability between 988 mobile crisis dispatch, including county behavioral health dispatch, and 911 systems, including telecommunications coordination and related technology functions. (f) The (1) No later than June 1, 2027, the Emergency Medical Services Authority, in consultation with the office and the State Department of Health Care Services, shall develop and adopt mandatory statewide protocols governing the transfer of calls and communications from 911 public safety answering points to 988 centers. centers and mobile crisis team dispatch points, including county behavioral health mobile crisis dispatch points. The protocols shall include all of the following: (1) (A) Criteria for transfers between 911 mobile crisis team dispatch, including county behavioral health mobile crisis dispatch, and 988. (2) Procedures for warm handoffs whenever clinically appropriate. (B) Procedures, protocols, and policies for warm handoffs. (3) (C) Standards to support the least restrictive and clinically appropriate responses to behavioral health crises. (4) (D) Coordination standards between 988 centers, emergency medical services providers, mobile crisis teams, and public safety agencies. including county behavioral health mobile crisis teams, public safety agencies, and other first responders. (2) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall consult with county behavioral health agencies, 988 call centers, 911 public safety answering points, public safety agencies, and other first responders on the development of these protocols. SEC. 2. Section 53123.3 of the Government Code is amended to read: 53123.3. (a) (1) No later than December 31, 2024, the California Health and Human Services Agency shall create a set of recommendations to support a five-year implementation plan for a comprehensive 988 system. (2) The California Health and Human Services Agency shall convene a state 988 advisory group for purposes of advising the California Health and Human Services Agency on the set of recommendations to support the five-year implementation plan. The recommendations shall specify what can be accomplished pursuant to existing administrative authority and what will require additional legislation for implementation. (3) The advisory group shall include, but is not limited to, the State Department of Health Care Services, the office, the State Department of Public Health, representatives of counties, representatives of employees working for county behavioral health agencies and agencies who subcontract with county behavioral health agencies who provide these services, health plans, emergency medical services, law enforcement, consumers, families, peers, 988 centers, and other local and statewide public agencies. (4) The advisory group shall meet at least once per quarter until December 31, 2029. (5) The advisory group may be disbanded or reconvened at the discretion of the California Health and Human Services Agency, but shall not be disbanded before January 1, 2030. (b) The California Health and Human Services Agency and the advisory group shall make recommendations on all of the following: (1) Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration requirements and national best practices guidelines for operational and clinical standards, including training requirements and policies for transferring callers to an appropriate specialized center, or subnetworks, within or external to, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. (2) Maintenance of an active agreement with the administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for participation within the network. (3) Compliance with state technology requirements or guidelines for the operation of 988. (4) A state governance structure to support the implementation and administration of behavioral health crisis services accessed through 988. (5) 988 infrastructure, staffing, and training standards that will support statewide access to crisis counselors through telephone call, text, and chat, 24 hours per day, seven days per week. (6) Access to crisis stabilization services and triage and response to warm handoffs from 911 and 988 call centers. (7) Resources and policy changes to address statewide and regional needs in order to meet population needs for behavioral health crisis services. (8) Statewide and regional public communications strategies informed by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to support public awareness and consistent messaging regarding 988 and behavioral health crisis services. (9) Recommendations to achieve coordination between 988 and the continuum of behavioral health crisis services. Recommendations shall address strategies for verifying that behavioral health crisis services are coordinated for a timely response to clearly articulated suicidal or behavioral health contacts made or routed to 988 services as an alternative to a response from law enforcement, except in high-risk situations that cannot be safely managed without law enforcement response and achieving statewide provision of connection to mobile crisis services, when appropriate, to respond to individuals in crisis in a timely manner. (10) Quantifiable goals for the provision of statewide and regional behavioral health crisis services, which consider factors such as reported rates of suicide attempts and deaths. (11) A process for establishing outcome measures, benchmarks, and improvement targets for 988 centers and the behavioral health crisis services system. This may include recommendations regarding how to measure, the feasibility of measuring 988 system performance, including capacity, wait time, and the ability to meet demand for services for 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund fund recipients. This may also include recommendations for how to determine and report the amount billed to and reimbursed by Medi-Cal or other public and private health care service plans or insurers related to 988 services. (12) Findings from a comprehensive assessment of the behavioral health crisis services system that takes into account infrastructure projects that are planned and funded. These findings shall include an inventory of the infrastructure, capacity, and needs for all of the following: (A) Statewide and regional 988 centers. (B) Mobile crisis team services, including mobile crisis access and dispatch call centers. (C) Other existing behavioral health crisis services and warm lines. (D) Crisis stabilization services. (13) Procedures for determining t [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]