KFF Health NewsOct 23 2024 The director of California's mental health commission traveled to London this summer courtesy of a state vendor while he was helping to prevent a $360 million budget cut that would have defunded the company's contract.
It's unclear why Kooth picked up a $15,000 tab for state officials to travel to London. It's also unclear why Ewing pushed to protect its app from a spending cut. The commission is a 16-member independent body appointed by various elected officials to help ensure funds from a millionaires tax are used appropriately and effectively by counties for mental health services. Kooth's contract is with the Department of Health Care Services, which is separate from the commission.
The agenda for Thursday's commission meeting listed a personnel matter to be discussed in closed session. The whistleblowers said Ewing is the subject of the discussion. As KFF Health News reported in April, the Kooth and Brightline app rollouts have been slow, with few children using them. In May, Newsom proposed a $140 million budget cut. DHCS Director Michelle Baass said in a hearing that it was due to low use, but the state expects more users to come on board over time.
State lobbying records show Kooth has paid around $100,000 this year to the firm Capital Advocacy. At the same time, Ewing's emails and calendars show that he pushed for Kooth's funding to be retained. For instance, his June 4 calendar shows he was scheduled to meet with Laura Tully, an executive from Kooth USA, at a coffee shop near the Capitol.
Under California law, state officials generally must report travel payments to the FPPC, which Ewing and his fellow commissioners did. "I know though from our conversation that we need to cover the 'purpose' of your trip and not sure what is possible or not," she wrote.