During his 10-year tenure in the California Assembly representing California’s North Coast region, Dr. Jim Wood emerged as a leading advocate for comprehensive health care reform, with a particular focus on mental and behavioral health services.
As Chair of the Assembly Health Committee, Wood championed legislation to expand access to mental health care. He authored AB 1863 (Improving access to behavioral health services), which allowed Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) to be reimbursed by Medi-Cal when providing services at federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics. This measure aimed to address provider shortages and improve access to culturally competent care in underserved communities.
Wood also co-authored AB 483 (Local educational agency: Medi-Cal billing option), legislation designed to enhance students’ access to school-based mental health services. By streamlining the reimbursement process for schools, the bill aimed to bolster mental health support for children and adolescents, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill was signed into law in November 2023.
