​April 28, 2025

Top ​News

Behavioral Health Treatment Centers Continue to Expand

On April 24, DHCS and the San Francisco Department of Public Health opened a crisis stabilization unit in San Francisco's Tenderloin District. Supported by nearly $6.8 million through the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Round 5: Crisis and Behavioral Health Continuum, the unit will serve 1,500 individuals annually with unlocked, voluntary, and community-based crisis stabilization services. New clients are welcome starting today.

Additionally, on April 25, DHCS and Tarzana Treatment Centers opened the Antelope Valley's first sobering center and intensive outpatient treatment center. This new facility, funded by $3.4 million also through BHCIP Round 5, will treat more than 1,000 children, youth, and families annually with behavioral health supportive services, including screening for mental health and substance use disorders, cognitive behavioral therapy, 12-step facilitation, and vocational assistance.

To date, DHCS has awarded $1.7 billion in BHCIP competitive grants. Through BHCIP, DHCS awards eligible entities funding to construct, acquire, and expand properties and invest in mobile crisis infrastructure, helping communities meet rising demand and close historic service gaps. These investments are especially critical in rural communities, ensuring people can access timely, life-saving care without having to travel long distances.

Join Our Team

DHCS is seeking a talented and motivated individual to serve as:

• Chief of the Managed Care Quality and Monitoring Division (MCQMD): The Chief of MCQMD leads and oversees compliance-related activities for Medi-Cal managed care plans. Activities include developing and implementing statewide managed care plan policies, processes, and improvement and change management efforts, and providing technical assistance and conducting risk analysis for audit and compliance programs related to the plans. The Chief of MCQMD also has direct oversight of timely access to care, network adequacy, and California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiatives, such as Community Supports. Applications must be submitted by May 7.

DHCS is also hiring for its accounting, behavioral health, managed care, and other teams. For more information, please visit the CalCareers website.

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings and Webinars

DHCS posts upcoming public meetings on the Calendar of Events.

Chosen Family, Part 2: Contraception and Fertility for Transgender and Gender Diverse People 

On May 5, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. PDT, DHCS will host the Chosen Family, Part 2: Contraception and Fertility for Transgender and Gender Diverse People webinar (advance registration required). Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people represent a growing subset of patient populations, but many continue to report a lack of provider knowledge when it comes to TGD health. This session will build on TGD health terminology and competency essentials presented in Part 1 of this webinar series by reviewing evidence-based recommendations for contraception, fertility, and family-building counseling. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, a transcript and recording of the webinar, along with additional resources, will be available on the Family PACT website at a later date.

Enhanced Care Management Best Practices Webinar

On May 16, from 10 to 11 a.m. PDT, DHCS will host a public webinar, “Connecting Services for the Enhanced Care Management (ECM) Justice-Involved Population of Focus Throughout the Reentry and Post-Release Process" (advance registration required). Guest speakers include HC2 Strategies and Scott Coffin of Serrano Advisors LLC. The webinar will help participants recognize the benefits of utilizing justice-involved referral and billing toolkits, identify strategies to increase justice-involved referrals for ECM and Community Supports providers, and discuss a reentry care plan designed to support linkages and handoffs to community-based organizations, justice-involved agencies, and managed care plans. Please submit any questions to collaborative@ca-path.com.

Proposition 35: Protect Access to Health Care Act-Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) 

On May 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. PDT, DHCS will hold the next Protect Access to Health Care Act-SAC meeting. This committee is responsible for advising DHCS on developing and implementing components of the Protect Access to Health Care Act of 2024 (Proposition 35). Meeting materials will be posted as the meeting date nears. Please see the Protect Access to Health Care Act-SAC webpage for more information about the meeting. Also, to help clarify the facts about California's Managed Care Organization Tax and outline how Proposition 35 implementation is progressing, DHCS published frequently asked questions. For general inquiries, please email DHCSPAHCA@dhcs.ca.gov.

Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC)/Behavioral Health (BH)-SAC Meeting

On May 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. PDT, DHCS will host the hybrid SAC/BH-SAC meeting (advance registration required for online and in-person participation) at 1700 K Street (first-floor conference room 17.1014), Sacramento. SAC provides DHCS with valuable input and feedback on efforts to provide equitable access to quality health care. BH-SAC provides DHCS with input on behavioral health initiatives and was created as part of the ongoing effort to integrate behavioral health with the greater health care system. The agenda and other meeting materials will be posted as the meeting date approaches. For more information, please email SACinquiries@dhcs.ca.gov or BehavioralHealthSAC@dhcs.ca.gov.

Coverage Ambassador Webinar Series: Birthing Care Pathway 

On May 29, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. PDT, DHCS will hold a Coverage Ambassador webinar that will focus on DHCS' Birthing Care Pathway initiative (advanced registration required). The webinar will provide information about maternity services for pregnant and postpartum Medi-Cal members from conception through 12 months postpartum. This initiative helps to ensure Medi-Cal members have access to high-quality, equitable care to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce disparities. Coverage Ambassadors will also learn about DHCS' social media pages, which offer up-to-date information on relevant topics that can benefit both Coverage Ambassadors and Medi-Cal members.

In Case You Missed It

Now Open: Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) Capacity and Infrastructure Transition, Expansion, and Development (CITED) Round 4 Application

On January 6, DHCS opened the PATH CITED Round 4 application window, which includes funding opportunities to support the implementation of the new transitional rent Community Support. The PATH CITED initiative provides funding to build the capacity and infrastructure of on-the-ground partners, including community-based organizations, hospitals, county agencies, Tribes, and others, to successfully participate in Medi-Cal. All organizations providing the transitional rent Community Support must do so in partnership with their county behavioral health department. To demonstrate this partnership, all CITED applicants planning to request funding to support the transitional rent Community Support must also submit a Letter of Support in collaboration with the county behavioral health department.

The deadline to apply for PATH CITED Round 4 funding is 11:59 p.m. PDT on May 2, 2025. The guidance document and application are available on the PATH CITED webpage. Please send any questions to cited@ca-path.com.