News and Events

For the latest information visit the CJBH Projects page.

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CCJBH News and Events

CCJBH Full Council Meeting

When: October 27, 2023, from 2:00-4:30   Where: Board of Parole Hearings, 1515 K St., Suite 550, Sacramento, CA 95811 or virtually via MS Teams   Description: The webinar will discuss CalAIM justice-involved planning and implementation efforts. Register here.

CCJBH Juvenile Justice Workgroup

When: November 17th, 2023, from 12:45-2:45 PM Description: TBD Register Here

CCJBH Diversion/Reentry Workgroup

When: November 17th, 2023, from 3:00-5:00 PM  Description: TBD Register Here

Partner News & Events

Behavioral Health  

Transforming our Behavioral Health Services

On September 14, the California State Legislature passed two key bills (Senate Bill (SB) 326 and Assembly Bill (AB) 531) to transform the state’s behavioral health system and better address today’s needs. The bills dedicate billions of dollars to new behavioral health treatment and residential beds and supportive housing units, create new accountability and transparency, and provide much needed funding for key workforce across the state. Please see the Governor’s news release for more information. This effort will build 10,000 new treatment beds and housing units, helping serve more than 100,000 people each year, with $6.38 billion funded by a bond on the March 2024 ballot to provide the resources needed to care for and house individuals with the most severe mental health needs and substance use disorders. It will also update the Mental Health Services Act passed by voters 20 years ago to focus funds where they are most needed now. Once signed by the Governor, this transformation of the state’s behavioral health system and accompanying bond will go to California voters for approval. SB 326 and AB 531 will appear jointly on the March 2024 ballot as Proposition 1.

The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Providing Access and Transforming (PATH) Justice-Involved Program Office Hours for Round 3 Eligible Agencies

DHCS will host a series of PATH Justice-Involved Program virtual office hour sessions (advance registration required) for Round 3 eligible agencies. Office hours will be held every other Monday at 11:30 a.m. to provide assistance to Round 3 agencies, including supporting implementation plan submission.

• Oct 23, 2023, 11:30 AM
• Nov 6, 2023, 11:30 AM
• Nov 20, 2023, 11:30 AM
• Dec 4, 2023, 11:30 AM
• Dec 18, 2023, 11:30 AM

For more information, visit the Justice-Involved Program website.

DHCS Medi-Cal Renewals Update

DHCS published the July 2023 Medi-Cal continuous coverage unwinding eligibility measures data on the ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Medi-Cal Enrollment​ and Renewal Data webpage. The July dashboard includes data on Medi-Cal enrollment, applications in progress, redeterminations, and disenrollments. For the first time, this data set includes demographic details for all redetermination measures, along with the top reasons for disenrollments.

The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Awards Millions to Behavioral Health Providers to Combat Covid-19

DHCS awarded nearly $5.2 million to 36 mental health and/or substance use disorder providers through the COVID-19 Substance Use and Mental Health Disorder Mitigation Project to support community mitigation measures that prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect those who are at increased risk for severe illness. From September 15, 2023, through March 31, 2025, providers will receive up to $500,000 to expand services to provide education about COVID-19 testing, implement onsite COVID-19 testing, collaborate with community partners to prevent infectious disease transmission, and expand COVID-19 response services to individuals connected to the behavioral health system.

Click here to learn more.

DHCS Providing Access and Transforming (PATH) Justice-Involved Program Office Hours for Round 3 Eligible Agencies

DHCS will host a series of PATH Justice-Involved Program virtual office hour sessions (advance registration required) for Round 3 eligible agencies. Office hours will be held every other Monday at 11:30 a.m. to provide assistance to Round 3 agencies, including supporting implementation plan submission.

• Nov 6, 2023, 11:30 AM
• Nov 20, 2023, 11:30 AM
• Dec 4, 2023, 11:30 AM
• Dec 18, 2023, 11:30 AM

For more information, visit the Justice-Involved Program website.

DHCS PATH Technical Assistance (TA) Marketplace – Revised TA Recipient Access Policy

On September 29, DHCS announced the revised policy for accessing free TA resources available through the PATH TA Marketplace. Effective immediately, all approved TA recipients may now access both off-the-shelf TA projects and hands-on TA projects in all seven TA domains, regardless of if they are contracted with a MCP or other eligible entity to provide Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and/or Community Supports. Learn how free TA services offered through the PATH TA Marketplace can strengthen your organization’s ability to build and deliver quality ECM and Community Supports by visiting the PATH TA Marketplace webpage. Please submit any questions regarding the revised access policy to ta-marketplace@ca-path.com.

DHCS California Invests Addition $33 Million In Mentored Internship Program

DHCS awarded an additional $33 million to 120 nonprofit provider and tribal organizations, extending the existing behavioral health workforce Mentored Internship Program to organizations that successfully completed the first round of the program. Each entity will receive up to $500,000 to enhance and build its behavioral health substance use disorder workforce, focusing on resources that expand the prevention, treatment, and recovery workforce to support Californians with or at risk of developing an opioid use disorder. DHCS is investing in organizations in underserved and diverse communities across California. The awards represent one part of DHCS’ broad strategy to expand California’s behavioral health workforce by providing practical on-the-job experience to students at multiple stages of their education.

Click here for more information.

California Continues Awarding Nearly $1 Billion in Behavioral Health Housing and Infrastructure Grants for Counties

DHCS announced the second batch of awards for their first round of Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program funding. These investments will help address housing instability and homelessness for individuals with serious behavioral health conditions, including serious mental illness and/or a substance use disorder, by providing support through various “bridge” housing settings, including tiny homes, interim housing, rental assistance models, and assisted living settings.

Please visit the BHBH Program website for more information.

Memoranda of Understandings Between Managed Care Plans and Third-Party Entities

DHCS this week released an All Plan Letter (APL), two Behavioral Health Information Notices (BHIN), and associated Memoranda of Understandings (MOU) templates for Medi-Cal managed care plans (MCP) required by the 2024 MCP contract to execute MOUs with certain third-party entities to ensure member care is coordinated and members have access to community-based resources to support whole-person care. The MOUs are intended to be effective vehicles to clarify roles and responsibilities among parties and support local engagement, care coordination, information exchange, mutual accountability, and transparency.

The MOU templates include a base template, which contains general provisions required to be included in all MOUs, and a set of bespoke templates tailored for programs or services administered by third-party entities that contain the required general MOU provisions and program-specific provisions. The bespoke templates are for MCPs to enter into MOUs with third-party entities with whom MCPs must make a good faith effort to execute by January 1, 2024, and include: local governmental agencies, such as county behavioral health departments for specialty mental health care and substance use disorder services; other local programs and services, including social services; child welfare departments; Regional Centers; In-Home Supportive Services programs; and Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Nutrition Programs. DHCS will release additional required MOU templates for use by MCPs and third-party entities as they are finalized, including those required to be executed on July 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025. Additional information and copies of the MOU templates are available on the DHCS MOU webpage.

State Extends CalHOPE Schools Initiative Partnernship

DHCS has extended the CalHOPE Schools Initiative through June 30, 2024. The initiative provides free resources for school personnel, youth, and parents surrounding three powerful films that address student social-emotional and mental health needs: A Trusted Space: Redirecting Grief to Growth, Angst: Building Resilience, and Stories of Hope Shorts.

Beginning this month, A Trusted Space: Meeting the Moment will launch its first in a series of short docu-training films that will serve both school staff and secondary school students in understanding the social, emotional, and mental health issues that students face. Steeped in science and led by student, educator, and expert voices, these short films will offer tips, tools, and hope, leading to a healthier, more rewarding school experience for all in California’s education system.

The beginning of the 2023-2024 school year will also feature seven new Stories of Hope Shorts. These inspirational stories feature youth sharing real stories of finding their pathway to hope and resilience despite their personal struggles. All stories are 30 minutes or less and include a youth guided discussion to help initiate conversations.

Get Connected to the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act Resource Center

The CARE Act Resource Center, administered by Health Management Associates, provides training, technical assistance and resources to county behavioral health agencies, counselors, volunteer supporters and other stakeholders to support the seamless implementation of the CARE Act. 

Unshame California – Learning Webinar Series

Shatterproof’s free webinar series will raise awareness and combat addiction stigma. Industry leaders will enhance your ability to drive meaningful conversations around addiction. Whether you’re an advocate, healthcare professional, journalist, or simply interested in creating change, this webinar is for you. The dates are:

• Nov 16, 2023, 10:00 AM
• Dec 21, 2023, 10:00 AM
• Jan 18, 2024, 10:00 AM

Register here.

CYBHI Webinar: Leveraging and Aligning Opportunities to Advance and Sustain School Mental Health

The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) will be hosting the following webinar series to provide information on how new tools and resources through CYBHI can be incorporated and aligned with work on Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Community Schools, and other key education frameworks and initiatives.

• November 29, 2023. from 2:00-4:30 PM; Virtual Services Platform (register here)

View the CYBHI website for additional information and future webinar registration links as they become available.

The California Institute of Behavioral Health Solutions (CIBHS) Training

CIBHS partners with nationally recognized behavioral experts to bring you state-of-the-art, skill-building workshops and training.

Register Here

DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (DBT) WORKSHOP

When: November 7, 9, & 13

Description: Join us for this introductory DBT workshop that is presented in three segments to provide an overview of the core DBT principles that improve clients’ safety and their emotional and behavioral control. Daily emphasis is placed on understanding and practicing a DBT specific clinical approach and the skills within the Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, and Distress Tolerance modules.

Register Here

CIBHS Increasing Awareness of Gun Violence Risk Assessments and California’s Gun Violence Restraining Order

In June 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) contracted with the Hope and Heal Fund, a state-based donor collaborative working to prevent injury, death and trauma as a result of gun violence and firearm suicide, to lead a statewide Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) public awareness and education campaign. CIBHS is providing five free regional (Central, Superior, Southern Counties, Los Angeles, Central, and Bay Area) informational sessions promoting awareness of GVROs.

• Session 2: Register Here for Superior Region | October 25, 2023 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Session 3: Register Here for Southern Counties | November 1, 2023 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Session 4: Register Here for Los Angeles | November 2, 2023 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Session 5: Register Here for Bay Area | November 8, 2023 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

MHSOAC Needs Your Help!

The Commission carries out the work of implementing the MHSA by creating four-year strategic plans to guide our work. The goal of the strategic planning is ultimately to reduce the adverse outcomes of mental illness and promote the mental wellbeing of all Californians.

As they near the end of their current 2020-2023 Strategic Plan, The Commission is working to develop their next plan, which will begin in January 2024.

Please consider providing your thoughts and ideas to help shape their strategic planning process for the next four years by answering a few simple questions available now on The Commision website.

Criminal Justice

The Health and Reentry Project (HARP) New Fact Sheet

HARP’s new fact sheet, Medicaid’s New Role in Advancing Reentry: Key Policy Changes, is now out. This two-page fact sheet provides and overview of groundbreaking new reentry policies and proposed federal legislation under current deliberation by Congress.

Please click here to access the fact sheet and learn more.

OYCR is Seeking Letters of Interest from Potential Contractors

OYCR is seeking letters of interest from potential contractors to build technical assistance targeted at juvenile defenders or juvenile prosecutors related to the legal adversarial processes for youth who are or may be committed to Secure Youth Treatment Facilities (SYTFs). Potential contractors will develop and disseminate emerging practices and technical assistance related to such topics as: transfer decision-making by the DA, post adjudication hearings, participation in development of the Individual Rehabilitation Plans, crime victim/survivor voice, youth, and family voice, the six-month reviews for youth in SYTF programs, and resources for supporting Less Restrictive Programs. Deadline: October 31, 2023. The full request for interest can be found here.

The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center Systems in Crsis Zoom Webinar

When: November 13th, 2023, at 10 am

Description: The CSG Justice Center will highlight key messages from our brief, “Systems in Crisis: Revamping the Juvenile Justice Workforce and Core Strategies for Improving Public Safety and Youth Outcomes,” and accompanying fact sheets that detail shorter-term hiring and retention best practices that can help jurisdictions rethink their juvenile justice workforce. 

Please click here to register.

CSG Justice Center Equipping Staff with the Tools to Serve Higher Risk Youth Effectively in the Juvenile Justice Systeam Zoom Webinar

When: November 2nd, 2023, at 11 am

Description: With support from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute (UCCI)—in partnership with The CSG Justice Center and Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown—will host a webinar discussing strategies for equipping staff with research-driven tools, practices, and techniques to effectively work with higher-risk youth in the juvenile justice system, especially those who engage in violent behavior. Presenters will share program successes and challenges as well as implementation lessons learned.  Please click here to register.

Housing/Homelessness

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Issues Notice of Allocation of New Housing Choice Vouchers

The allocation process financially incentives and strongly encourages public housing agencies to serve and help expand housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. Vouchers will be distributed through an allocation formula that is based on area need with respect to both rural and urban areas as well as high voucher utilization rates. Each state will receive a minimum of 20 vouchers and each U.S. territory will receive a minimum of five vouchers. Agencies with utilization in the highest 25 percent of their state or those with a leasing utilization above 95.08 percent are eligible for a share of vouchers in their state. Housing Authorities (HA) eligible for fewer than five vouchers under the allocation formula will receive none, except for HAs in rural areas. These agencies will qualify for an allocation if they are eligible for at least three vouchers.

View the notice to learn more.

California Continues Awarding Nearly $1 Billion in Behavioral Health Housing and Infrastructure Grants for Counties

DHCS announced the second batch of awards for their first round of Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program funding. These investments will help address housing instability and homelessness for individuals with serious behavioral health conditions, including serious mental illness and/or a substance use disorder, by providing support through various “bridge” housing settings, including tiny homes, interim housing, rental assistance models, and assisted living settings.

Please visit the BHBH Program website for more information.

HUD Awards $60M to Address Youth Homelessness

HUD awarded $60.3 million to build systems to end youth homelessness in 16 communities across the country, including four in rural areas. The funding was awarded through HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) to support a wide range of housing programs, including rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and host homes. The goal of YHDP is to help communities develop and implement a coordinated community approach to prevent and end youth homelessness, with special attention on equitable strategies to help the most vulnerable youth, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and differently abled youth.

Click here to learn more.

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