Committee recommends procurement outlines for veterans and LGBTQIA+ advocacy contracts

The Legislative and External Affairs Advisory Committee voted to recommend that the full commission approve procurement outlines for two three‑year advocacy contracts — one focused on veterans and one on LGBTQIA+ communities — and authorized the executive director to conduct competitive solicitations and execute resulting agreements.

Kendra Zer, deputy director of legislative and external affairs, told the committee the outlines align existing Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) advocacy contracts with the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA). "We are still waiting for the governor to sign the final budget," Zer said, warning that the contracts "could be at risk" depending on the final budget outcome. Zer said each contract is configured at roughly $2 million over three years (about $670,000 per year) and would include advocacy, training, outreach, media products, workforce pathway information, participation stipends and equity access funds, plus a formal evaluation component.

The committee heard results from listening sessions with both populations. Zer said LGBTQIA+ participants emphasized safety and affirming spaces and asked for virtual and low‑tech engagement options; veterans highlighted the importance of veteran‑led, culturally responsive outreach and noted housing instability and substance use concerns as barriers to participation. To reflect BHSA’s expanded focus, staff proposed a phased capacity‑building approach across the three‑year contracts: an early start period to develop materials, a long operations phase where advocacy and training occur, and a short evaluation phase at the end. Staff suggested phasing services to begin with serious mental illness, then build capacity for substance use disorder (SUD), and finally expand to co‑occurring conditions; commissioners debated whether SUD should be prioritized first.

Two commissioners disclosed conflicts before discussion. Amy Farweather stated on the record, "I, Amy Farweather, am recusing myself from the discussion and vote on agenda item five; I have a financial interest in the California Association of Veteran Service Agencies (CAPSA)," and left the room for that portion of the meeting. Commissioner Chambers similarly stated she ‘‘represent[s] pained brain’’ and recused from portions of the item; both commissioners later appeared in the record as not participating in the related votes and were recorded as abstaining in the committee votes.

Commissioners asked whether the federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) could shoulder more of the outreach role; Zer and Executive Director Brenda Gish said staff had engaged VA and CalVet during outreach and that contractors typically coordinate with federal and state veterans resources, but federal benefits do not cover all state‑level behavioral health advocacy needs. Gish said prioritizing SUD in early capacity building was intended to address BHSA’s new emphasis and to make training scalable across populations.

After discussion, the committee voted to recommend the veterans advocacy procurement outline to the full commission and later voted to recommend the LGBTQIA+ advocacy procurement outline. The motions authorized the executive director to issue solicitations, publish notices of intent to award to highest‑ranking proposals, and execute resulting contracts in accordance with procurement laws. The chair declared both motions passed.

The committee did not receive public comment on these items. The chair closed the meeting, reminded members the next advisory committee meeting is scheduled for September 17, and adjourned.

What happens next: The committee’s recommendations go to the full commission for final approval; staff said the outlines may still be adjusted before that meeting and noted the contracts remain contingent on the final state budget.