The Overview

If you or someone you know has ever called 988, California's suicide and mental health crisis line, the centers that answer those calls now face new oversight rules and a deadline to get state-certified or lose their funding. California's Assembly Bill 173, a wide-ranging health budget measure, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Sept. 18, 2026. California's mental health support lines had been under financial pressure from budget cuts and changes tied to a 2024 ballot measure, threatening services for people in crisis, according to CalMatters. The law takes effect immediately as an appropriations measure. ​

What the Law Does

The State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) must establish a certification process for 988 centers no sooner than Oct. 1, 2027; every center must obtain that approval by Dec. 31, 2029, or lose eligibility for state funds. The law also extends required quarterly meetings of the state 988 advisory group by five years, to Dec. 31, 2029. The Office of Emergency Services must connect 988 and 911 through a shared technology system by that same date, and DHCS must annually assess whether an adequate LGBTQ+ suicide prevention line is available, with authority to request a dedicated "press 3" option from the federal government.

The law also appropriates $112,815,000 in federal funds to DHCS for opioid response and substance abuse prevention grants, available through June 30, 2027. Separately, the bill requires the Department of Health Care Services to deny or end a Medi-Cal provider's enrollment if the provider discloses an affiliation within the previous five years with an entity that has experienced a "disclosable event," and the department finds the affiliation poses an undue risk of fraud, waste, or abuse.

Legislative Status

The bill's lead sponsor was the Committee on Budget. The Assembly passed it 53-17 on March 20, 2025. The full Senate passed it 38-0 on Aug. 31, 2026, a unanimous margin that contrasted with the earlier Assembly vote. The Assembly then concurred in the Senate's amendments 65-3. NAMI California thanked Gov. Gavin Newsom for signing AB 173, saying: "By signing AB 173 into law, you've helped advance the work needed to build a more coordinated, accountable and effective 988 system."

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