Plain English Breakdown
The official text does not specify the effective date of the bill.
Mental Health Services: Peer Support Specialist Certification
This law removes the requirement to have a high school diploma or equivalent degree for someone to become a certified peer support specialist and officially counts these specialists as community health workers.
What This Bill Does
- The bill removes the rule that says an applicant must have a high school diploma or equivalent degree to get certification as a peer support specialist.
- It changes the definition of 'community health worker' so it now includes certified peer support specialists.
- A person who is already certified as a peer support specialist will be treated as having met all education and training rules for community health workers.
Who It Names or Affects
- People who want to become certified peer support specialists in mental health services.
- Medi-Cal providers and counties that run these training programs.
Terms To Know
- Peer support specialist
- A person who helps others with mental health issues by sharing their own experience or training.
- Community health worker
- Someone who connects people in the community to health and social services, like a link between patients and doctors. This group now includes peer support specialists under this new law.
- Medi-Cal
- A state program that gives free or low-cost medical care benefits to qualified low-income people.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill does not say when it will become effective.
- It is unclear if counties must change their current rules right away after the law passes.
- The text does not explain what happens to someone who already has a high school diploma but wants different training.