On January 29, Assemblywoman Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento) introduced crucial legislation to expand access to lifesaving mental health services for Californians with a serious mental illness and experiencing homelessness, hospitalization, and/or involvement with the criminal justice system. This bill establishes presumptive eligibility for Full-Service Partnership (FSP) programs — removing barriers that have long prevented the state’s most vulnerable individuals from receiving critical care.
AB 348 is aligned with our Vision 2030 goals of reducing system involvement for people with behavioral health conditions. Specifically, we seek to reduce homelessness and the number of Californians entering hospital emergency departments and the criminal justice system among people with serious mental illness by half. The Steinberg Institute is sponsoring the bill and has identified it as one of our 2025 legislative priorities.
How AB 348 will transform lives
FSPs provide “whatever it takes” behavioral health services designed to stabilize people and improve their quality of life. These programs offer critical behavioral health treatment alongside housing support, employment assistance, and 24/7 crisis intervention that can reduce emergency room and criminal justice involvement. According to state data, between 2012 and 2022, there was a 41% reduction in psychiatric hospitalizations after a client joined an FSP program. FSPs are also effective at reducing homelessness and incarceration for people with behavioral health conditions. Recent reports detail an 82% reduction in jail days for FSP participants, and an 80% reduction in days spent unhoused.
However, inconsistent and overly complicated eligibility criteria across the state currently hinder access to these programs for people with the highest levels of need. AB 348 addresses this by establishing uniform, presumptive eligibility criteria for individuals who meet at least one of the following:
- Is transitioning to the community after six months or more in a secured treatment facility.
- Has experienced two or more emergency department visits in the last six months.
- Is transitioning to the community after six months or more in a state prison or county jail.
- Has experienced two or more arrests in the last six months.
- Is experiencing chronic homelessness.
By streamlining access to FSPs, AB 348 ensures that funding from Proposition 1, the voter-approved behavioral health initiative passed in March 2024, reaches those most in need. The Steinberg Institute is committed to advancing policies that strengthen California’s behavioral health system, and this legislation is a vital step toward that goal.