Office of the Mayor
415 Diamond Street
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Tel: 310.697.0630
Redondo.org
August 19, 2025
The Honorable Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
Chair, Assembly Appropriations Committee
1021 O Street, Room 8200
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 812 (Allen) Qualified Youth Drop-In Center Health Care Coverage.
Notice of SUPPORT (As Amended July 17, 2025)
Dear Assemblymember Wicks,
On behalf of the City of Redondo Beach, I am writing to express our support for Senate Bill 812 (Allen), which would expand access to the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) Fee Schedule Program for youth drop-in centers designated by Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and public institutions of higher education.
In Redondo Beach, the Beach Cities Health District operates an allcove® youth drop-in center, one of California’s first integrated mental health hubs designed specifically for youth ages 12 to 25. This center provides confidential, stigma-free services including mental health care, substance use support, peer and family engagement, and linkage to education and employmentresources. It serves as a critical lifeline for young people navigating complex challenges many of whom are not directly affiliated with a school or college.
Despite its vital role in our community, the allcove® center is currently ineligible to bill health plans and insurers through the CYBHI Fee Schedule. This limitation creates an unsustainable funding gap and restricts access to care for vulnerable youth who fall outside the traditional school system. SB 812 would correct this by allowing youth dropin centers designated by LEAs and IHEs to directly bill for services, ensuring that centers like allcove® can continue to serve our community with the quality and consistency our youth deserve.
We believe SB 812 is a thoughtful and necessary step toward building a more inclusive and responsive behavioral health infrastructure in our community and across the state. For these reasons, the City of Redondo Beach supports SB 812. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].
Sincerely,
James A. Light
Mayor, City of Redondo Beach