AB-3632 MENTAL-HEALTH ENTITLEMENT FOR SPECIAL-EDUCATION STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA - ASPECTS OF THE LOS-ANGELES EXPERIENCE

California Assembly Bill (AB) 3632, passed in 1984, ushered in an era of entitlement to mental health services for schoolchildren with serio us emotional disturbances. This article examines the development of th e law, the children's public mental health context in Los Angeles Coun ty, and the significant impact of the legislation on distribution of m ental health services in Los Angeles County and in one Los Angeles are a community mental health center Countywide and agency data are presen ted that document AB 3632 and regular mental health service provision differences in gender age, ethnic, income, and language domains and, a t the agency level, an increasing proportion of AB 3632 clients. Impli cations of AB 3632 service provision in relation to provision of menta l health services to children in general are reviewed.