​​July 1, 2024

Top News​

California Celebrates the Groundbreaking of Expanded Indio Behavioral Health Facility

On July 1, DHCS and ABC Recovery Center celebrated the groundbreaking of a facility expansion that will serve people who need mental health and substance use disorder treatment. DHCS awarded ABC Recovery Center more than $27 million through the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) to build two adult substance use disorder residential units, expanding residential treatment capacity by 120 total beds, in addition to intensive outpatient treatment for substance use disorder projected to serve 400 people annually.

DHCS will distribute roughly $4 billion in 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 regular public listening sessions. Updates and recordings of the sessions are available on the Behavioral Health Transformation webpage. Please sign up on DHCS' website to receive monthly updates.​

Program Updates​

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 Enhanced Care Management. 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 Enhanced Care Management 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 Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports. Please email your questions to communications@ca-path.com.​

Children's Presumptive Eligibility (CPE) and Newborn Gateway Portals

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 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.

On June 25, DHCS hosted the final CPE and Newborn Gateway portal overview webinar. A recording of the webinar is available through the Medi-Cal Learning Portal by searching for course code CNPE104RW.​

New CMS Guidance Enhances Medicaid Managed Care Services

Over the past decade, Medicaid managed care organizations have increasingly aimed to address members' health-related social needs, such as housing, food security, and transportation, that affect health outcomes. However, these efforts often remained in pilot stages due to capitation rates not reflecting these services. New guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on in lieu of services (ILOS) is changing this by allowing medically appropriate and cost-effective substitutes for state Medicaid benefits, impacting managed care rates. A new Medicaid policy cheat sheet, published by Center for Health Care Strategies, outlines five key takeaways from CMS' May 2024 final rule on using ILOS to address health-related social needs. Additionally, a new tool, Designing a Health-Related Social Needs Strategy in Medicaid, presents decision points for states, including a snapshot of how nine states are covering these services through a learning series supported by the Kaiser Permanente National Community Benefit Fund.​

Join Our Team

DHCS is seeking a highly skilled, exceptionally motivated individual to serve as:

• Assistant Deputy Director for Behavioral Health to provide management and support in implementing behavioral health initiatives designed to achieve equitable health care outcomes and ensure consistent access to high-quality mental health and substance use disorder care. (Final filing date: July 12)
  

• 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: July 3)

DHCS is also hiring for its 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

Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) Demonstration Addendum: Second Public Hearing

On July 2, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. PDT, DHCS will host the second hybrid in-person and virtual public hearing for the BH-CONNECT Demonstration Addendum at 1515 K Street, Room 204 in Sacramento and via Zoom (advance registration required). On June 14, 2024, DHCS began the 30-day public comment period for an addendum to the pending BH-CONNECT demonstration. California will submit an addendum to the BH-CONNECT demonstration application to further strengthen the continuum of behavioral health care. The addendum will offer two new options for county behavioral health plans to cover: Community transition in-reach services for individuals with long-term institutional stays, and room and board in enriched residential settings for up to six months for those with significant behavioral health conditions and specified risk factors. For more information, please visit the DHCS BH-CONNECT webpage.​

Consumer-Focused Stakeholder Workgroup (CFSW)

On July 5, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. PDT, DHCS will convene the CFSW, which provides stakeholders an opportunity to review and provide feedback on a variety of consumer messaging materials. The forum focuses on eligibility and enrollment-related activities and strives to offer an open discussion on Medi-Cal policies and functionality. Meeting materials, including the meeting agenda, will be posted to the CFSW webpage by noon on July 3. Please e-mail your questions to DHCSCFSW@dhcs.ca.gov.​

California Children's Services (CCS) Advisory Group Meeting

On July 10, from 1 to 4 p.m. PDT, DHCS will host the CCS Advisory Group quarterly meeting. The CCS Advisory Group and DHCS partner to ensure children in the CCS and Whole Child Model (WCM) program receive appropriate and timely access to quality care. Agenda topics include updates on WCM expansion, Enhanced Care Management, the CCS Compliance, Monitoring, and Oversight Workgroup, the Child Health and Disability Prevention program, and the CCS Redesign Performance Measure Quality Subcommittee. Additional information and meeting details are posted on the CCS Advisory Group webpage. Please email your questions and comments to CCSProgram@dhcs.ca.gov.

Doula Stakeholder Implementation Workgroup Meeting

On July 12, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PDT, DHCS will host the Doula Stakeholder Implementation Workgroup meeting to examine the implementation of the Medi-Cal doula benefit, in accordance with Senate Bill 65 (Chapter 449, Statutes of 2021) and section 14132.24 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

The meeting will be held via Zoom, with an in-person option at 1501 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95814, Room 71.4003. The meeting is open to the public. The link to attend the meeting virtually and an agenda will be posted on the Doula Services as a Medi-Cal Benefit webpage. The workgroup will discuss how to ensure doula services are available to Medi-Cal members and make recommendations on outreach efforts. Please email DoulaBenefit@dhcs.ca.gov with any questions.​

CalAIM Behavioral Health Workgroup Meeting

On July 15, from 3 to 5 p.m. PDT, DHCS will convene the CalAIM Behavioral Health Workgroup meeting (advance registration required) to provide updates on the Provider Integration Project and BH-CONNECT. Workgroup members can provide feedback on implementation and operational considerations. Please see the agenda for more information. This meeting is open to the public. Please email your questions to BHCalAIM@dhcs.ca.gov.​

Targeted Provider Rate Increases

On July 17, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. PDT, DHCS will host a provider webinar (advance registration required) to answer questions about the 2024 calendar year targeted provider rate increases. All questions providers would like addressed must be sent to DHCS at targetedrateincreases@dhcs.ca.gov no later than July 8.​

On June 20, DHCS published requirements, through All Plan Letter 24-007, necessary for Medi-Cal managed care plans to implement targeted provider rate increases in calendar year 2024. For additional information, please see the DHCS Medi-Cal Targeted Provider Rate Increases and Investments website.

In Case You Missed It

State Reveals Positive Impacts of Stigma Reduction Campaign