Local Behavioral Health Board

The County of Del Norte Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Health Branch Local Behavioral Health Board (LBHB) is a state mandated board under the Welfare and Institutions Code section 5604. The board consists of eight residents of Del Norte County.

The responsibilities of the LBHB shall include:

1. Review and evaluate the community’s public behavioral health needs, services, facilities, and special problems in any facility within the county or jurisdiction where mental health or substance use disorder evaluations or services are being provided, including, but not limited to, schools, emergency departments, and psychiatric facilities.
2. Review any county agreements entered into pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5650.
3. Advise the Board of Supervisors and the Behavioral Health Director as to any aspect of the local behavioral health program.
4. Review and approve the procedures used to ensure citizen and professional involvement at all stages of the planning process.
5. Submit an annual report to the Board of Supervisors on the needs and performance of the county’s behavioral health system.
6. Review and make recommendations on applicants for the appointment of Director of Behavioral Health Services. The LBHB shall be included in the selection process prior to vote of the Board of Supervisors.
7. Review and comment on the county’s performance outcome data and communicate its findings to the California Behavioral Health Planning Council.
8. This part does not limited the Board of Supervisors to transfer additional duties or authority to the LBHB. It is the intent of the Legislature that, as part of its duties, the LBHB shall assess the impact of the realignment of services from the state to the county on services delivered to clients and on the local community.

Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) Duties (WIC 5963.03)  (Bold sections are LBHB responsibilities):

(b) (1) The LBHB established pursuant to Section 5604 shall conduct a public hearing on the draft integrated plan and annual updates at the close of the 30-day comment period required by subdivision (a).

(2)     Each plan and update shall include any substantive written recommendations** for revisions.  

(3)     The adopted integrated plan or update shall summarize and analyze the recommended revisions.

(4)     The LBHB shall review the adopted integrated plan or update and make recommendations to the local mental health agency, local substance use disorder agency, or local behavioral health agency, as applicable, for revisions.

(5) The local mental health agency, local substance use disorder agency,  or local behavioral health agency, as applicable, shall provide an annual report of written explanations to the local governing body and the State Department of Health Care Services for any substantive [**see (d) below] recommendations made by the LBHB that are not included in the final integrated plan or update.
(c)(2) In preparing annual and intermittent updates:  

(A) A county Behavioral Health Agency is not required to comply with the stakeholder process described in subdivisions (a) and (b). 

(B) A county shall post on its internet website all updates to its integrated plan and a summary and justification of the changes made by the updates for a 30-day comment period prior to the effective date of the updates.

**(d) For purposes of this section  “Substantive recommendations made by the local behavioral health board” means any recommendation that is brought before the board and approved by a majority vote of the membership present at a public hearing of the local behavioral health board that has established its quorum.