(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Office of Problem Gambling establish and maintain ongoing venues for system stakeholders to provide input into public policy issues related to gambling disorders, including, but not limited to, consumers of services and their families, providers of services and supports, and county representatives. It is further the intent of the Legislature that the Office of Problem Gambling shall have input into policy discussions at the State Department of Public Health and at the California Health and Human Services Agency, when appropriate.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that the impacts of the transition of the Office of Problem Gambling from the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to the State Department of Public Health are identified and evaluated, initially and over time. It is further the intent of the Legislature to establish a baseline for evaluating, on an ongoing basis, how and why services provided and overseen by the Office of Problem Gambling were improved, or otherwise changed, as a result of this transition.
(c) (1) By April 1, 2014, and March 1 annually thereafter, the State Department of Public Health shall report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the appropriate budget subcommittees and policy committees of the Legislature, and publicly post a report on the Office of Problem Gambling on its Internet Web site.
(2) The report shall contain all of the following:
(A) A description of education and outreach activities related to the prevention program and how the Office of Problem Gambling establishes linkages with State Department of Public Health partners, including local health officers and other relevant entities, in order to increase awareness of, and provide input to, the Office of Problem Gambling, and how stakeholder involvement was changed, maintained, or enhanced after the transition.
(B) Beginning in the 2012–13 fiscal year, a description of year-over-year changes in the following: access to services, demographics of people served, the number of providers, and treatment program outcomes. The description of access to services shall include, but not be limited to, information regarding utilization of services and waiting lists for services. The description of providers shall include, but not be limited to, types and numbers of providers, including gambling disorder counselors, training protocols for providers, and workforce trends. The description of demographics of people served shall include, but not be limited to, age, sex, ethnicity, economic status, and geographic regions. The description of treatment program outcomes shall include, but not be limited to, participation levels in programs, recidivism rates, and quality of life measures.
(d) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2018, and, as of January 1, 2019, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 18, Sec. 32. (SB 75) Effective June 24, 2015. Inoperative July 1, 2018. Repealed as of January 1, 2019, by its own provisions.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018