Assemblymember Connolly Introduces Mental Health Protection Act

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael) introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 384, the Mental Health Protection Act, sponsored by the California State Association of Psychiatrists (CSAP) and the California Behavioral Health Association (CBHA), which prohibits health insurance plans from requiring prior authorizations for a patient to be admitted to medically necessary 24-hour inpatient care for mental health and substance use disorders, and prohibits health plans from requiring prior authorizations for the medical care patients receive from a physician while enrolled in a 24-hour inpatient setting.

“In a mental health emergency, every second counts,” said Assemblymember Connolly. “Prior authorizations create delays by forcing doctors to justify their decisions regarding a patient’s medical care to an insurance company. During a mental health crisis, these delays can have severe and life-altering consequences. AB 384, the Mental Health Protection Act, ensures that Californian’s who are hospitalized for a mental health emergency receive immediate care with no unnecessary delays.”

Prior authorization is a health insurance process that requires a doctor to get approval from a health insurance plan before they are able to move forward with a patient’s medical service. Health plans use prior authorization to control costs and to determine if a service or prescription is medically necessary. According to a survey of over 1,000 practicing physicians conducted by the American Medical Association (AMA), 94 percent of doctors reported delays in providing necessary care for patients due to prior authorizations. On average, doctors report having to complete 43 prior authorizations, per physician, per week.

“The California State Association of Psychiatrists, California’s statewide psychiatric association affiliated with the American Psychiatric Association, is proud to sponsor AB 384,” said Dr. Parnika Saxena, Chairwoman of the CSAP Government Affairs Committee. “CSAP advocates for changes to public policy that best serves its profession and patients. Far too often, approvals for care and medications that are medically necessary get caught up in unnecessary red tape and slowed or denied. The last thing patients in a crisis should be struggling with is their insurance company. CSAP is grateful to Assemblymember Connolly for his leadership on this issue.”

“The California Behavioral Health Association and the California Access Coalition (CAC) is proud to co-sponsor AB 384,” said Dr. Le Ondra Clark Harvey, who leads both organizations. “Too many individuals with behavioral health conditions encounter delays in getting the medication and treatment they need. These delays can lead to low adherence rates and exacerbate behavioral conditions. CBHA and CAC represent the voices of clients and their providers. We thank Assemblymember Connolly for his leadership on this important issue.”

California is experiencing a mental health crisis, with behavior health diagnoses making up approximately one-third of all in-patient hospitalizations. In addition, the state has experienced a 40 percent spike in hospitalizations for young people with mental health emergencies over the last decade. It is vital that these Californians receive immediate treatment when they are admitted to an in-patient facility. 

An analysis conducted by the California Health Benefits Review Program (CHBRP) in 2023, found that the most frequently requested treatments or services by insurers requiring prior authorizations included behavioral health services, mental health services, therapy, psychological tests and evaluation services, and referral for psychiatry. According to the Health Affairs Journal, a leading peer reviewed publication on health policy and research, nearly every insurance company requires clinicians to obtain a prior authorization to provide coverage for inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations, which adds significant time to emergency department stays and can result in patients experiencing a mental health emergency to languish longer in the emergency department, an environment less conducive to optimal care. This can put the patient’s own safety at risk and the safety of frontline medical workers.

AB 384, the Mental Health Protection Act, prohibits health care service plans from requiring prior authorizations for a patient to be admitted to medically necessary 24-hour care in inpatient settings for mental health and substance use disorders, and prohibits health care service plans from requiring prior authorizations for the medical care they receive from a physician while enrolled in a 24-hour inpatient setting. By removing administrative hurdles, the Mental Health Protection Act ensures that individuals in crisis can access timely and uninterrupted care, reduces the administrative burden on healthcare providers, and aligns with the state’s broader commitment to improving mental health equity and outcomes.

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Assemblymember Connolly represents the entirety of Marin County and Southern Sonoma County