Home Providers & Partners Dyadic Services as a Medi-Cal Benefit

Dyadic Services as a Medi-Cal Benefit

Announcements

Scaling Dyadic Care Grant Program – Request for Application Closed 

On September 15, DHCS released a Request for Applications (RFA) that closed on October 26, for the Scaling Dyadic Care Grant Program, a two-year statewide program under the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). The grant program is designed to expand dyadic care, a Medi-Cal reimbursable benefit that delivers integrated behavioral health services to young children and their caregivers within pediatric primary care settings. The grant program supports eligible Medi-Cal organizations in building clinical, operational, and billing infrastructure to implement the Medi-Cal dyadic services benefit. See the anticipated timeline below for the program. Timelines are subject to change. Updates will be posted on this webpage. 

Milestone Anticipated Timing 
Application period closed October 26, 2026 
Application review November 2026 – January 2027 
Award decisions announced January 2027 
Grantee contracts finalized March 2027 
Grant period and technical assistance April 2027 – March 2029 

Scaling Dyadic Care Grant Program Resources

Questions

For questions about the Scaling Dyadic Care Grant Program, including application status, please email scalingdyadic@cibhs.org.

For assistive services or alternative-format requests related to program materials, please contact DHCS, Office of Strategic Partnerships, 1501 Capitol Ave, MS 4650, Sacramento, CA 95814, or email CYBHI@dhcs.ca.gov.

Webinar: Scaling Dyadic Care Grant Program Request for Applications (September 23, 2026)

On September 23, 2026, DHCS hosted a webinar with an overview of the Scaling Dyadic Care Grant Program Request for Applications (RFA), including California’s vision for dyadic care and the Medi-Cal dyadic services benefit. The webinar reviewed the grant program’s purpose, eligibility requirements, tiered funding structure, and application components. Webinar materials can be found here:

About Dyadic Services

DHCS added dyadic services as a benefit effective January 1, 2023. Dyadic services are available to Medi-Cal members in fee-for-service (FFS) and through managed care plans (MCPs).

Dyadic services are a family and caregiver focused model of care intended to address developmental and behavioral health conditions of children and includes services provided to parent(s)/caregiver(s) (known as a “dyad”). Dyadic services help improve access to preventive care for children and rates of immunization completion. They also address coordination of care, child social-emotional health and safety, developmentally appropriate parenting, and maternal mental health. Dyadic services include the following:

  • Behavioral health (DBH) visits
  • Access to community supports services
  • Psychoeducational services
  • Family training and counseling for child development

Children (Medi-Cal members under age 21) and their parent(s)/caregiver(s) are eligible for DBH visits when delivered according to the Bright Futures/American Academy of Pediatrics periodicity schedule for behavioral/social/emotional screening assessment, and when medically necessary. Dyadic services are integrated physical and behavioral health screenings and services for children under 21 years old and their parent(s)/caregiver(s).

Dyadic services are available to non-Medi-Cal eligible parent(s)/caregiver(s) of children (Medi-Cal members under age 21) so long as the dyadic service is for the direct benefit of the child. Parent(s)/caregiver(s) can receive specific assessment, screening, counseling, and brief intervention services, including family training and counseling.

For Medi-Cal FFS members, questions regarding Medi-Cal’s dyadic services benefit should be directed to their treating health care provider. Medi-Cal MCP members should talk to their treating health care provider or MCP to assist them in determining if dyadic services are appropriate. Members of Medi-Cal’s MCP include a point of contact for general information that can be found at Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plan Directory.

Resources