News
Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative
The latest news about the Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative and the significant steps California is taking to address poor health outcomes in Justice-Involved individuals – people who are now, or have spent time, in jails, youth correctional facilities, or prisons.
For the First Time, California to Provide Medi-Cal Services for People Returning Home After Incarceration
- In a major step for health equity in California, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced that three California counties—Inyo, Santa Clara, and Yuba—were approved as of October 1 to begin delivering a targeted set of Medi-Cal services to people returning to communities after incarceration. All California counties are required to implement this initiative before October 1, 2026.
DHCS Receives Approval of Reentry Demonstration Initiative Implementation Plan
- In October 2024, DHCS received approval from CMS of its Reentry Demonstration Implementation Plan.
- The Implementation Plan, effective October 1, 2024, is organized around the following five Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver milestones:
- Increasing coverage and ensuring continuity of coverage for individuals who are incarcerated.
- Covering and ensuring access to the minimum set of pre-release services for individuals who are incarcerated to improve care transitions upon return to the community.
- Promoting continuity of care.
- Connecting to services available post-release to meet the needs of the reentering population.
- Ensuring cross-system collaboration.
DHCS Launches Reentry Initiative Learning Collaborative Series
- In Fall 2024, the JI Reentry Initiative hosted a Learning Collaborative webinar series, designed to review and reinforce policy guidance and share best practices and lessons learned through in-depth presentation materials, interactive exercises, and guest speaker panels. After each webinar, DHCS hosts corresponding Office Hours sessions to address stakeholder questions. DHCS intends to continue the Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative Learning Collaborative series through 2025 and beyond.
- Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative Learning Collaborative Session 1: Kickoff Meeting Recording.
DHCS Releases Data Sharing Authorization Guidance (DSAG) Reentry Initiative Toolkit
- The Data Sharing Authorization Guidance “Reentry Initiative” Toolkit is designed to complement the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Data Sharing Authorization Guidance (DSAG) by illustrating real world scenarios that will help Medi-Cal Partners navigate data privacy and data sharing laws and regulations related to CalAIM.
PATH Cited Round 4 Application Has Been Extended through July 2025
- On January 6, 2025, DHCS opened the PATH CITED Round 4 application window. The PATH CITED initiative provides funding to build the capacity and infrastructure of on-the-ground partners, including community-based organizations (CBO), hospitals, county agencies, Tribes, and others, to successfully participate in Medi-Cal. DHCS has decided to extend the Round 4 application deadline through July 2025. This announcement supersedes previous deadline communications, and updated materials are forthcoming. Please submit questions to cited@ca-path.com.
- Please visit the PATH CITED website for more information on CITED applications. Please visit the PATH Justice-Involved website for more information on the PATH Justice-Involved Capacity Building Program.