June 11th, 2025
The Honorable Caroline Menjivar
Senate Health Committee
1021 O Street, Room 3310
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: MHAC Support for AB 787 (Papan)
Dear Chair Menjivar,
Mental Health America of California (MHAC) is pleased to support Assembly Bill 787 (Papan), legislation that would require health plans to respond to enrollee inquires seeking a provider within one business day and provide a list of available providers within 2 business days.
MHAC is a peer-run organization leading the state in behavioral health public policy and advocacy since 1957. The mission of MHAC is to assist and encourage communities, families and individuals to experience hope, wellness and recovery from mental health and substance use disorder issues. The people and communities we aim to serve include those of all ages; sexual orientation, gender identity or expression; language, racial and ethnic backgrounds, national origin, and immigration status; spirituality and religious affiliations; or socioeconomic status.
Finding a mental health provider within your health plan can be a significant barrier to receiving services. Inaccurate provider directories can lead to prolonged delays in care, frustration, and sometimes leads individuals to give up seeking mental health care altogether. Enrollees attempting to make an appointment using a directory may discover that the provider is no longer contracted with their health plan, has moved, or is no longer accepting new patients. Once a provider is located, enrollees may still have to wait up to 15 days before establishing care.
Timely access plays a vital role in an individual’s health and wellness. This bill will help reduce delays in identifying an available provider by disclosing to enrollees that they should contact the health plan if they need assistance and establishing a standardized response time. It is for these reasons MHAC supports AB 787 (Papan) and asks for your “Aye” vote. If you have any questions, or if MHAC can provide any assistance on this bill or any behavioral health legislation, please do not hesitate to contact me at hstrunk@mhac.org or our Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari, at kvicari@mhaofca.org.
In Community,
Heidi L. Strunk
President & CEO
