On December 2, 2025, DHCS released the Draft Evidence-Based and Community-Defined Evidence Practices (EBP/CDEP) Resource Guide for stakeholder comment, which will remain open through January 16, 2026. The guide will serve as a centralized resource to help current and prospective EBP/CDEP providers, including community-based organizations, schools, and counties, navigate new state tools and Medi-Cal billing pathways, including those introduced through California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM). It highlights Medi-Cal billing options for EBP and CDEPs supported by the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), and Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) Initiative. The guide consolidates information on 43 EBPs, reimbursement considerations for CDEPs, and strategies for leveraging existing Medi-Cal authorities. It serves as a practical tool for community-based organizations, schools, counties, and other providers to expand access to culturally responsive, evidence-informed behavioral health care, advancing the goals of CalAIM and the Governor’s Mental Health for All Initiative.
Please submit written comments via SurveyMonkey or via email to CYBHI@dhcs.ca.gov, with the subject line “Public Comment: EBP/CDEP Resource Guide.” Please include in the email the section you are proposing edits to, the recommended edit, and the reason for the change.
On December 11, 2025, from 4 to 5 p.m. PST, DHCS will host a webinar to share the guide with stakeholders. The webinar will walk through the guide’s contents, explain how it supports implementation and sustainability of EBPs/CDEPs, and encourage public input.
