​April 6, 2026

Top News

Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative Impact Report

On April 2, DHCS released the first impact report on California's Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative, which provides pre‑release services for people who are incarcerated and preparing to return to their communities. The report highlights statewide progress in launching pre-release services, cross-agency collaboration, and stories of affected members served by the initiative. Notably, in the first year, correctional facilities and implementing partners delivered more than 159,000 billable pre-release services and prescriptions to incarcerated individuals and enrolled more than 24,000 individuals in Medi-Cal. This focus on coordinated, person-centered care was highlighted in a recent New York Times article, which examined how California is implementing systemic changes to support individuals returning to their communities. Please see the Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative webpage for more information.

Program Updates

Updated Behavioral Health Services Act County Policy Manual  

On April 3, DHCS released updates to the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) County Policy Manual. The update strengthens guidance on evidence-based practices (EBP), community-defined evidence practices, foundational requirements for Full Service Partnership EBPs, and oversight responsibilities, including reporting, compliance reviews, and enforcement. The update also introduces California's first statewide BHSA performance measures to improve transparency, accountability, and data-driven decision making. Developed with public and expert input, the measures track access to care, quality and clinical outcomes, BHSA service outcomes, such as housing stability and crisis reductions, and equity across demographic groups and priority populations. Measures will be available to behavioral health plans and managed care plans in Medi-Cal Connect, refreshed monthly, and publicly reported annually. These updates will support counties in completing their Integrated Plans for behavioral health services and outcomes, which requires them to outline and submit all of their behavioral health funding sources and corresponding programs. This effort supports Mental Health for All, California's initiative to expand treatment, housing, and culturally responsive care. Please email questions to BHTinfo@dhcs.ca.gov.

Join Our Team

DHCS is hiring for its Civil Rights, Health Care Financing, Quality and Population Health Management, and other teams. For more information, please visit the CalCareers website.

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings and Webinars

DHCS posts upcoming public meetings on its Calendar of Events. DHCS provides free assistive services, including language interpretation, real-time captioning, and meeting materials in alternate formatting. To request services, please email DHCS at the appropriate contact email address at least ten working days before the meeting.

Smile, California Mobile Dental Van Events

On April 6 and 7, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT, Smile, California will host mobile dental van events in Siskiyou County to provide free dental services. The van will be located at 810 South Main Street in Yreka. Families may call 1-888-585-3368 to schedule an appointment, pre-register, and complete the consent forms ahead of time. They may visit SmileCalifornia.org for more details. Smile, California is DHCS' Medi-Cal Dental education and outreach campaign designed to help more than 14 million members access and use their dental benefits, including free check-ups and treatments. Smile, California will support the event with a flyer and social media posts to promote event awareness and encourage community members to schedule appointments in advance.

Comprehensive Intrauterine Device (IUD) and Contraceptive Implant Training

On April 9 and 10, 2026, DHCS' Office of Family Planning (OFP) will host an in-person Comprehensive IUD and Contraceptive Implant Training, which includes updates on current U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements. Conducted since 2018, this semi-annual provider training is designed for both new and experienced providers who want to build or refine their skills in IUD and implant placement and removal. The training includes hands-on practice with pelvic models and computer simulators, as well as proctoring by family planning experts. Advanced topics include management of side effects, tips for difficult contraceptive implant placements, pain management principles for office procedures, and complication prevention and management. To register, please see the OFP IUD & Implant Training webpage.

Community Health Workers: Beyond the Health Care Setting

On April 16, the California Department of Public Health will host a webinar about the vital role community health workers (CHW) play in chronic disease management. Although their titles and duties vary across organizations, CHWs help bridge the gap between community members and health care systems, along with connecting individuals to community-based organizations that address non-medical needs. Speakers from DHCS, the Department of Health Care Access and Information, and El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center will discuss their work with CHWs. Agenda topics include CHWs in managed care plans, Medi-Cal billing, CHW workforce development, and best practices for implementing CHW programs.

CalAIM Best Practices and Sustainability Toolkits Webinar

On April 17, from 10 to 11 a.m. PDT, DHCS will host a public webinar, “Accelerating Improvement with the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Collaborative Planning and Implementation (CPI) Best Practices and Sustainability Toolkits" (advance registration required). The webinar will introduce the CalAIM Best Practices and Sustainability Toolkits; demonstrate how these toolkits can strengthen partnerships, workflows, and referral networks; and outline clear, actionable steps that organizations can take to support long-term sustainability after Providing Access and Transforming Health ends. Guest speakers include Camden Coalition, BluePath Health, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and HC2 Strategies. Learn more by visiting the CPI webpage, and submit questions to collaborative@ca-path.com.

DHCS CalAIM MLTSS and Duals Integration Workgroup Meeting

​On April 22, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. PDT, DHCS will host the CalAIM Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) and Duals Integration Workgroup meeting (advance registration required). The workgroup is a stakeholder collaboration hub for CalAIM MLTSS and integrated care for dual eligible members. It allows stakeholders to provide feedback and share information about policy, operations, and strategy related to Medi-Cal and Medicare. The meeting agenda includes updates on H.R. 1 and impacts to dual eligible members, the 2026 Medi-Medi Plan expansion, Exclusively Aligned Enrollment (EAE) Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) Default Enrollment Pilot, D-SNP Dashboard, Medicare enrollment data for dual eligible members, 2025 D-SNP quality data, and proposed BridgeCare pilots to help older adults stay safely at home with targeted supports. More information, background materials, transcripts, and video recordings of previous workgroup meetings are posted on the CalAIM MLTSS and Duals Integration Workgroup webpage. For questions or comments, please email DHCS at info@calduals.org.