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HomeWelfare and Institutions CodeDiv. 5Pt. 2Ch. 3§ 5717 County Mental Health Funding

§ 5717 County Mental Health Funding

Welfare and Institutions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 5717 County Mental Health Funding

Key Takeaways

  • •Counties can use state money for things like salaries, building rent, and services for mental health, but not for buying new buildings or big renovations.
  • •If a county spends the money wrong, they have to pay it back to the state within 30 days.
  • •The state can check how the money is spent and take back money if it’s not used the right way.
  • •Old rules (before 1991) don’t apply to some funds called Short-Doyle funds.

Example

A county uses state money to rent an office for mental health services.

This is allowed because renting a building is okay, but if they tried to buy a new building with the money, they’d have to pay it back.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 5717 County Mental Health Funding

(a) Expenditures that may be funded from amounts allocated to the county by the State Department of Health Care Services from funds appropriated to the department shall include, salaries of personnel, approved facilities and services provided through contract, and operation, maintenance, and service costs, including insurance costs or departmental charges for participation in a county self-insurance program if the charges are not in excess of comparable available commercial insurance premiums and on the condition that any surplus reserves be used to reduce future year contributions; depreciation of county facilities as established in the state’s uniform accounting manual, disregarding depreciation on the facility to the extent it was financed by state funds under this part; lease of facilities where there is no intention to, nor option to, purchase; expenses incurred under this act by members of the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California for attendance at regular meetings of these conferences; expenses incurred by either the chairperson or elected representative of the local mental health advisory boards for attendance at regular meetings of the organization of mental health advisory boards; expenditures included in approved countywide cost allocation plans submitted in accordance with the Controller’s guidelines, including, but not limited to, adjustments of prior year estimated general county overhead to actual costs, but excluding allowable costs otherwise compensated by state funding; net costs of conservatorship investigation, approved by the Director of Health Care Services. Except for expenditures made pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 129225) of Chapter 1 of Part 6 of Division 107 of the Health and Safety Code, it shall not include expenditures for initial capital improvements; the purchaser or construction of buildings except for equipment items and remodeling expense as may be provided for in regulations of the State Department of Health Care Services; compensation to members of a local mental health advisory board, except actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties that may include travel, lodging, and meals while on official business; or expenditures for a purpose for which state reimbursement is claimed under any other provision of law. (b) The Director of Health Care Services may make investigations and audits of expenditures the director may deem necessary. (c) With respect to funds allocated to a county by the State Department of Health Care Services from funds appropriated to the department, the county shall repay to the state amounts found not to have been expended in accordance with the requirements set forth in this part. Repayment shall be within 30 days after it is determined that an expenditure has been made that is not in accordance with the requirements. In the event that repayment is not made in a timely manner, the department shall offset any amount improperly expended against the amount of any current or future advance payment or cost report settlement from the state for mental health services. Repayment provisions shall not apply to Short-Doyle funds allocated by the department for fiscal years up to and including the 1990–91 fiscal year. (Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 455, Sec. 38. (SB 804) Effective January 1, 2016.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

insurancecontracthealthnetpremiumregulationleasedirector

Related Statutes

  • § 5705 County Mental Health Funding
  • § 4305 State Hospital Medical Director
  • § 5963 County Behavioral Health Plan
  • § 5963.05 Department Implementation Authority
  • § 11466.2 Provider Audit Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Welfare and Institutions Code. Section 5717.
View Official Source