The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has published their bimonthly update of important events and actions at DHCS. The communication includes the following information related to the behavioral health and justice-involved population:
Top News
- DHCS Coverage Ambassadors: DHCS encourages local county social services agencies, managed care plans, health enrollment navigators, clinics, providers, and community stakeholders to serve as DHCS Coverage Ambassadors to reach Medi-Cal beneficiaries to re-determine eligibility.
- Older Adult Expansion: On May 1, 2022, California will expand state-funded full-scope Medi-Cal benefits to individuals who are 50 years of age or older, regardless of citizenship or immigration status. Eligible individuals will be able to access the full range of benefits, including behavioral health and substance use disorder services.
Program Updates
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Aware: DHCS and the Office of the California Surgeon General released a data report on March 4, 2022, detailing the number of ACE screenings conducted for children and adults in California between January 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. The report provides demographic information about beneficiaries who have been screened for ACES, summarizes the characteristics of individuals who have completed the ACEs Aware training, and provides a breakdown of ACE screening rates by Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans.
- Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Update: BHCIP: Round 3 Launch Ready Request for Application was released on January 31, 2022, and will award up to $518.5 million in grant funds to construct, acquire, and rehabilitate real estate assets in settings that serve Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The deadline for the Part One application was March 31, 2022, and applications will be accepted through May 31, 2022 for Part Two applications.
- Behavioral Health Justice Intervention Services (BHJIS) Program: DHCS awarded $14 million to 34 BHJIS programs on February 28, 2022. The funding is being used to support collaborative planning, hiring, training, or contracting with behavioral health clinicians and/or peers to be embedded with law enforcement, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders during emergency responses, or for the integration of harm reduction, reentry support, and diversion strategies.
- California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Updates:
- Community Supports
- Contingency Management Program
- Transition to Statewide Coordinated Care Options for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries
- DHCS Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Spending Plan Initiatives Updates:
- CalBridge Behavioral Health Program
- Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program (HHIP)
Stakeholder Meetings and Webinars
- Behavioral Health Stakeholder Advisory Committee (BH-SAC) and Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) meetings will be held on May 12, 2022
- CalAIM Behavioral Health Workgroup meeting will be held on May 4, 2022
- CalAIM Justice-Involved Advisory Group meeting was held on March 24, 2022
- Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative meeting was held on March 15, 2022
Reports
Read the full DHCS April 2022 Stakeholder Communication Update.