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February 14, 2001 - The new system for budgeting CalWORKs welfare-to-work services is flawed. Welfare-to-work services are potentially underfunded by as much as $120 million during 2000-01, and 10 counties do not have sufficient funds to provide necessary services for all families needing to become self-sufficient. We recommend enactment of legislation aimed at addressing these deficiencies.
February 6, 2001 - Realignment, enacted in 1991, transferred various mental health, health, and social services programs from the state to county control. It also altered program cost-sharing ratios, and provided counties with dedicated tax revenues to pay for these changes. Although realignment has been largely successful, we recommend implementation of several changes including a simplified allocation structure for new revenues that relies on a single formula.
February 1, 2001 - Our analysis indicates that no rational basis exists for setting Medi-Cal physician rates, and that current rates are lower than those paid by the federal Medicare Program and others. Commencing in 2002-03, we recommend that the state adjust rates based upon a comprehensive analysis of access to physician services and the quality of care provided to beneficiaries.
January 30, 2001 - The Children's Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) program's role as a "gateway" to the Healthy Families Program has never been fully established. We recommend several changes in California designed to reduce the number of uninsured children and promote comprehensive health coverage for low-income children.
January 24, 2001 - It appears that there are a number of potential benefits from e-government implementation. We raise, though, a number of concerns about the direction that the state is taking in this area. We also outline specific qualities to look for before approving future e-government proposals and identify policy issues to address.
December 14, 2000 - We outline the implementation issues and challenges with regard to Proposition 36, the "Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act of 2000." We also make several recommendations. In our view, planning must begin now in order to ensure the effective implementation of the measure.
March 29, 2000 - Handout accompanying testimony given to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
March 8, 2000 - The past 43 years in California have seen significant changes in the care and treatment of the mentally ill. We highlights the major events that have altered the administration and funding of the programs for the mentally ill since 1957.
February 24, 2000 - Index of Information Technology Issues in the Analysis of the Budget Bill, 2000-01
February 17, 2000 - The Governor's budget provides a total of $433 million to increase the use of technology in education. We comment on this proposal and make several recommendations.
February 17, 2000 - The state's prisons now hold far more mentally ill offenders than its state mental hospitals. Additionally, an increasing number of inmates with severe mental disorders are being released to the community to an inadequate patchwork of supervision, treatment services, and assistance. We discuss several initiatives in the Governor's budget plan aimed at keeping the mentally ill out of the criminal justice system and suggest a more comprehensive approach for addressing these complex problems.
February 17, 2000 - We summarize the initiative and provide our assessment of it.
February 17, 2000 - We recommend enactment of legislation to conduct a pilot test of the Wisconsin system in up to four California counties.
February 17, 2000 - We recommend either repealing the county performance incentive provision or replacing it with a new system.