June 17, 2024 - Stakeholder Update
Top News
BH-CONNECT Demonstration Addendum: Public Comment and Public Hearings
DHCS began a 30-day public comment period on June 14 for a new addendum to the pending
Section 1115 Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) Demonstration. The addendum aims to strengthen the continuum of care for Medi-Cal members with significant behavioral health conditions. California proposes enabling county behavioral health plans to opt into one or two new opportunities: Community transition in-reach services for individuals with long-term institutional stays, and room and board in enriched residential settings with 16 beds or less for up to six months for adults with significant behavioral health conditions and specified risk factors.
DHCS will host public hearings to solicit stakeholder comments, offering in-person attendance and online video and telephone conference capabilities for statewide accessibility. The first hearing is on June 25, 2024, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. PDT at 1700 K Street, Room 1014, Sacramento, CA 95814. Participants may
register for the Zoom conference or call in at (833) 548-0276 (toll-free) or (915) 1321 2168 (access code 062524).
The second hearing is on July 2, 2024, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. PDT at 1515 K Street, Room 204, Sacramento, CA 95814. Participants may
register for the Zoom conference or call in at (833) 928-4608 (toll-free) or (924) 713-3204 (access code 070224).
All public comment materials are posted on the
DHCS BH-CONNECT webpage, which DHCS will update throughout the public comment period and application process. Please email comments and/or questions to
1115Waiver@dhcs.ca.gov.
California Celebrates Groundbreakings for New Behavioral Health Facilities
On June 10, DHCS and Center for Human Services celebrated the groundbreaking of a new
outpatient behavioral health center in Modesto to serve children, youth, and their families. DHCS awarded Center for Human Services more than $5 million to build a safe space to address gaps in mental health and substance use disorder treatment. This will enable Center for Human Services to serve more than 1,425 new community members with critical resources annually.
Also, on June 12, DHCS and Riverside University Health System celebrated the groundbreaking of a new behavioral health and physical health care campus called the
Wellness Village that will serve individuals who need mental health and substance use disorder treatment. DHCS awarded Riverside University Health System more than $80 million to build a safe space to address gaps in behavioral health treatment. The portions of the campus funded through this effort will enable Riverside University Health System to provide critical resources to more than 20,900 community members annually.
DHCS will distribute roughly $4 billion in
Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) grants under Proposition 1 bond funds to address historic gaps in the behavioral health care system and meet the growing demand for services and support throughout the lifespan of people in need. More information about Proposition 1 can be found at
mentalhealth.ca.gov. DHCS holds monthly public listening sessions. Updates and recordings of the sessions are available on the
Behavioral Health Transformation webpage. Please sign up on our
website to receive monthly updates.
Program Updates
Enhanced Care Management (ECM) for Long-Term Care Population of Focus (POF) Spotlight
DHCS recently published the
ECM for Long-Term Care POF Spotlight, which is designed to help contracted and prospective ECM providers serving adults in, or at risk of entering, long-term care (LTC) settings develop and enhance their ECM models. The spotlight describes ways providers can deliver ECM and bring together relevant Community Supports services to best care for high-need members and help them transition to the community. This new resource is intended for Medi-Cal managed care plans, ECM providers, stakeholders, and advocates serving individuals receiving LTC services. The spotlight includes:
- A summary of key ECM policies for the LTC POF, with a crosswalk of supports available to members with long-term services and supports needs and ways ECM intersects with these models.
- Two detailed member vignettes that illustrate approaches to delivering ECM for the LTC POF. The vignettes include examples of how transitional care services are delivered to members enrolled in ECM and strategies for integrating Community Supports to best serve individuals and their caregivers.
- Guidance on how prospective ECM providers can get started, with a collection of key resources and funding opportunities.
DHCS is committed to providing technical assistance and support to California's growing network of ECM providers. This is the third in a series of ECM spotlights released by DHCS to support stakeholders seeking more details on how providers can tailor ECM to meet the needs of different POFs. To access the ECM LTC POF Spotlight and other spotlights, please visit the DHCS
ECM and Community Supports webpage.
DHCS Launches “PATHways to Success" Web Portal
On June 17, DHCS launched the
PATHways to Success web portal featuring on-the-ground testimonials from organizations across California participating in the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) initiative to build their capacity and infrastructure to successfully participate in the Medi-Cal delivery system as California widely implements ECM, Community Supports, and justice-involved services under CalAIM. As community-based organizations, Medi-Cal providers, tribes, local government agencies, and others continue to participate in PATH, DHCS will showcase their firsthand accounts of providing ECM and Community Supports for the Medi-Cal members they serve.
Entities are invited to explore the new site and learn how PATH is helping organizations meet the needs of Medi-Cal members and provide coordinated, ongoing ECM and Community Supports. Please email your questions to
communications@ca-path.com.
Join Our Team
DHCS is seeking a highly skilled, exceptionally motivated individual to serve as:
- Chief of the Clinical Assurance Division (CAD) to serve as the principal policymaker and lead the CAD team in the implementation of utilization management for Medi-Cal fee-for-service members in partnership with DHCS' Health Care Benefits and Eligibility program. Additionally, the Chief of CAD is responsible for the administration of Treatment Authorization Requests (TAR), the TAR-free program, and post-payment utilization control of Medi-Cal benefits.
The salary range for this position is $11,435 to $13,623 per month. Possession of a medical license is desired, but not required. A salary range of $13,624 to $17,855 per month is available for candidates who are medical doctors or clinicians. (Final filing date: June 26)
DHCS is also hiring for
legislative and governmental affairs, human resources, auditing, health policy, information technology, and other teams. For more information, please visit the
CalCareers website.
Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings and Webinars
Children's Presumptive Eligibility (CPE) and Newborn Gateway Portals
On June 25 at 10 a.m. PDT, DHCS will host the final CPE and Newborn Gateway portal overview webinar. Registration is available through the
Medi-Cal Learning Portal. Additionally, a recording of the webinar will be available by searching for course code CNPE104RW.
Starting July 1, DHCS will introduce new online portals for providers to improve access to coverage and care for new families. Through CPE, providers may grant temporary, full-scope coverage to eligible applicants. This portal replaces the Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) gateway portal. The Newborn Gateway portal is for reporting births with linkage to Medi-Cal and the Medi-Cal Access Infant Program within 72 hours of birth or 24 hours after discharge. Providers must complete certification training to use these portals and enroll eligible infants into coverage starting on July 1.
CalAIM PATH Best Practices Webinar
On June 27, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. PDT, DHCS will host a webinar,
Tools to Better Engage Eligible Members in CalAIM (advance registration required). The webinar is part of a biannual series of PATH Collaborative Planning and Implementation (CPI) webinars designed to highlight best practices for implementing ECM and Community Supports, increasing providers' successful participation in CalAIM, and improving collaboration with Medi-Cal managed care plans, state and local government agencies, and others to build and deliver quality support services to Medi-Cal members. For more information, including past webinar resources and recordings, please visit the
PATH CPI webpage.
