The head of the California Mental Health Commission traveled to London this summer, courtesy of a state contractor, to help prevent infectious diseases. $360 million in budget cuts If that happens, the company’s contract funds will be wiped out.
Toby Ewing, executive director of the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Board, was hired by the state to develop virtual tools to help solve problems, according to emails and calendars reviewed by California Healthline. It has been shown that he was trying to protect funding for Koos, a London-based digital mental health company. Youth mental health crisis. In the face of California’s $45 billion budget deficit, Ewing pressured key legislative staff to keep their contracts, even as Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers proposed cuts.
Ewing and the three commissioners, along with Chair Mara Madrigal-Weiss, were sworn in. Bill Brown; and Steve Carnevale left for London in June, but Ewing was unsure whether he could have saved money for Koos. The second day of their trip the staff informed him What the MPs had got my money back.
A few days later, he emailed Kate Newhouse, Koos’ chief operating officer, described suggestions she shared with Congressional and Senate staff to improve Koos’ youth teletherapy app. In another email, Mr. Ewing wrote to Mr. Newhouse, “I hope you will be involved in what we envision.”
It’s unclear why Mr. Koos accepted $15,000 for a state employee’s trip to London. It’s also unclear why Ewing wanted to protect the app from spending cuts. The commission consists of 16 people appointed by various elected officials to ensure that funds from millionaire taxes are used appropriately and effectively by the county for mental health services. It is an independent organization made up of members. Mr. Koos’ contract is with the Department of Health Services and is separate from the commission.
Koos signed a four-year contract last year. $271 million contract to Create Solnaa free mental health app for users ages 13 to 25 in California. along with anotherwas launched by Brightline for young users in January to meet the need for free access to professional telehealth for young Californians and their families. This is one of Newsom’s components $4.7 billion Youth mental health planning.
Ewing, who reports to the committee, started his business in 2015 and earned $175,026 in 2023, according to the report. sacramento bee. he was placed on Paid administrative leave Waiting for investigation in September. Sandra Gallardo, the commission’s chief legal counsel, said the commission does not comment on personnel matters. Mr. Ewing did not respond to requests for comment.
Three commission officials filed a whistleblower complaint against Ewing with the California Comptroller in September. They spoke with California Healthline on the condition that their names not be published for fear of workplace retaliation. They argue that Ewing’s actions as a public official pushing a private company agenda crossed the line.
agenda That’s because Thursday’s committee meeting included a list of personnel issues that will be discussed in closed session. The whistleblowers said Ewing was the subject of controversy.
Madrigal-Weiss said she could not comment on Ewing’s actions. However, she said the commission supports virtual mental health resources for youth.
“These resources are inexpensive and have proven valuable to youth, especially those who struggle to access services in typical brick-and-mortar locations,” said University of San Diego Student Wellness and School Culture said Madrigal Weiss, who is also the executive director in charge. County Office of Education.
Mr. Brown and Mr. Carnevale did not respond to requests for comment.
Caroline Curran of the public relations firm Metis Communications, which represents Mr. Koos, said Mr. Koos is committed to promoting access to behavioral health services for youth.
“As a leader in youth behavioral health services with over 20 years’ experience in the UK and US, we regularly convene leading organizations in the field to share their expertise and diverse perspectives on youth behavioral health. It promotes learning,” Curran said.
as california healthline reported in Aprilthe Kooth and Brightline apps were slow to roll out and few kids were using them. Newsom proposed $140 million in budget cuts in May. DHCS Director Michelle Barth said during the hearing that low utilization is to blame, but the state expects more people to join over time.
He told lawmakers on May 16 that about 20,000 of the state’s more than 12.6 million children and youth are registered with the app, which has only been used for about 2,800 coaching sessions. spoke.
State Sen. Caroline Menjivar (D-Van Nuys) asked Barth during the hearing whether there was “room to back out” of the contract altogether. later senator voted unanimously Reduce the overall platform budget and save the state $360 million.
ewing sent a text message to a colleague June 3: “Coos is acting crazy. Are the cuts coming from management or from the department? Do we know if the deal is done?”
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state Lobbying records show Koos paid Capital Advocacy about $100,000 this year. At the same time, Mr. Ewing’s emails and calendar show he was pushing to keep Mr. Koos’ funding. For example, his calendar for June 4th shows that he was scheduled to: Meet Laura TalleyKoos USA executives at a coffee shop near the Capitol.
The next day, the whistleblower said: met with Key Senate staff: Scott Augus, deputy chief of staff for the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, and Marjorie Swartz, advisor to Senate President pro tempore Mike McGuire. They said Ewing also discussed Koos’ contract that week with Rosilyn Pulmano, a health policy consultant to Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas.
“Toby kept saying, ‘California has to have a digital strategy,'” recalled a whistleblower who attended both meetings. “He said he would continue to push Marjorie and Scott and give them ideas to make the platform better.”
ewing Ideas sent via email Sent to legislative aides on June 10th and 12th.
About two weeks later, he and his commissioners left on a seven-day trip to England, according to documents filed with the state. Fair Political Practices Commissionreceipts and emails reviewed by California Healthline, Koos paid for a four-star hotel, meals, train tickets and international flights.
Public documents show that Mr. Koos paid expenses to Mr. Ewing, Mr. Madrigal-Weiss and Mr. Brown. The documents do not show that the company paid for Carnevale’s travel expenses.
Under California law, state agencies generally must report travel expense payments to the FPPC, and Ewing and his fellow commissioners did so.
Mr. Koos postponed investment in mental health. conference in london Emails and documents will appear in June, but will be organized after that new event The California commissioner was asked to attend in his place.
On May 23, Newhouse notified Carnevale and Ewing. by email Koos was told that an event scheduled for June would have to be postponed. Venture capitalist Carnevale called the news “disappointing for everyone,” especially “including the members of the committee members’ families who were planning on making this a vacation and have already booked trips.”
Acknowledging the confusion, Newhouse told Carnevale, “I would like to think creatively about organizing a conference where we can discuss CYBHI,” referring to Newsom’s Child and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative.
“But from our conversations, I know that you need to cover the ‘purpose’ of your trip, but I don’t know what is or is not possible,” she wrote.
Mr. Curran, the Koos spokeswoman, said the company “adapted by engaging in knowledge exchange among representatives from international policy institutions, research foundations, and nonprofit organizations.”
Madrigal-Weiss defended the trip, which included meetings with “government, service provider, education, and financial stakeholders,” and through private and philanthropic partnerships that “raised the public spirit.” He said he shared ideas on how to “strengthen funding for global health needs.”
One whistleblower said many of the commissioners in California didn’t know about the trip until their colleagues arrived on the other side of the world. California Health and Human Services Agency spokesperson Sami Gallegos said the Department of Health Services was not involved in the trip.
Ewing was placed on leave before receiving treatment for Koos. Rescheduled meeting This month it’s London.
Sean McMorris, a government ethics expert at California Common Cause, a nonprofit government watchdog group, said it’s not unusual for state employees to travel overseas, but in many cases, private organizations do so. points out that it is not good.
“There appears to be undue influence,” McMorris said. “I think a lot of people see something like this as a way to garner goodwill. You can connect the dots.”
Koos similarly gifted the trip to state officials in Pennsylvania, which had a $3 million contract with 30 school districts. In each case, Mr. Koos invited officials to give speeches highlighting their efforts. Penn State informed Koos of its intention to terminate his contract.
