Healthcare

This bill designates May 2026 as Behavioral Health Awareness Month in California. It directs state agencies to acknowledge this month, likely through proclamations or public awareness campaigns. The measure does not change funding, laws, or services but serves to highlight the importance of mental and behavioral health.

Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes the Medical Board of California within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the licensure and regulation of the practice of medicine by physicians and surgeons. Existing law generally prohibits the practice of medicine without a physician's and surgeon's certificate issued by the board. Existing law authorizes a health care provider to deliver health care via telehealth to a patient pursuant to specified protocols and conditions. Existing law defines "telehealth" as the delivery of health care services and public health via information and communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient's health care, and that telehealth includes synchronous interactions and asynchronous store and forward transfers. Existing law authorizes an eligible out-of-state physician and surgeon, as defined, to deliver health care via telehealth to an eligible patient. Existing law defines "eligible patient" as a person who, among other requirements, has a life-threatening disease or condition, as defined, and has not been accepted to participate in the clinical trial nearest to their home for the immediately life-threatening disease or condition, as specified, or in the medical judgment of a physician and surgeon, as defined, it is unreasonable for the patient to participate in that clinical trial due to the patient's current condition and state of disease. This bill would also include within the definition of "eligible patient" a patient whose immediately life-threatening disease or condition is in remission and the patient is continuing care for that condition with the previously established eligible out-of-state physician and surgeon, and would provide that those patients are not subject to the clinical trial requirement, as specified.

This bill designates the week of May 3 through May 9, 2026, as Youth Mental Health Awareness Week in California. It directly affects state officials and the public by officially recognizing this specific time period to highlight mental health issues among young people. The measure does not change laws or allocate funding but serves to raise awareness through an official state designation. Once enacted, this resolution allows for public events and discussions focused on youth mental health during the specified dates.

This bill designates May 2026 as Lyme Disease Awareness Month to highlight the importance of recognizing and preventing the disease. It does not change laws or allocate funding but serves as a formal proclamation to encourage public education and awareness during that time. The measure directly affects state officials and the general public by setting aside a specific month for focus on Lyme disease prevention.

This bill designates the week of May 11 to May 15, 2026, as Student Mental Health Awareness Week throughout California. The measure requires state agencies and institutions to acknowledge this specific timeframe to highlight the importance of student mental well-being. By officially recognizing these dates, the legislation aims to encourage public focus on mental health resources for students during that period. It does not allocate funding or mandate specific programs, but rather serves to raise awareness through formal designation.

This measure would recognize May 4, 2026, to May 8, 2026, inclusive, and every first week of May thereafter, as Black Health Equity Advocacy Week, and commend the California Black Health Network and other organizations throughout the state for their efforts to improve the health, well-being, and life expectancy of Black Californians.

This bill designates May 2026 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month to highlight the importance of mental health support for mothers. It is a non-binding resolution that does not change laws or allocate funding but serves to raise public awareness through official proclamation. The measure affects the state by encouraging community focus on this topic during the designated month without imposing new requirements on individuals or organizations.

This measure would, among other things, recognize antimicrobial resistance as a public health crisis requiring urgent and sustained action and urge specified state agencies to explore available funding mechanisms to support research and development initiatives addressing antimicrobial resistance, particularly in underserved and high-risk communities.

This bill designates May 2026 as Celiac Disease Awareness Month to highlight the condition affecting individuals with an autoimmune reaction to gluten. The measure requires state officials to acknowledge this designation, though it does not mandate specific actions or funding for awareness campaigns. As a symbolic resolution, the legislation impacts no individuals or organizations directly and involves no changes to laws or regulations.

This Senate Resolution designates the week of June 14 to June 20, 2026, as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Awareness Week in California. The measure aims to raise public understanding of hereditary conditions that cause numerous colon and rectum polyps, which significantly increase the risk of colorectal and other cancers. During this week, the Senate encourages California residents to review their family health history and share it with healthcare providers to facilitate early screening and prevention. The resolution is a symbolic proclamation that does not alter laws or allocate funding, but rather promotes awareness of the condition and the importance of genetic counseling.