October 6, 2025
Program Updates
Transitional Rent Payment Methodology
On October 3, DHCS released the final
Transitional Rent Payment Methodology. This document includes the maximum reimbursable amount (“reimbursable ceilings") and administrative fees associated with Transitional Rent—the newest Community Supports service designed to provide up to six months of rental assistance for Medi-Cal members who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and meet additional eligibility criteria. As outlined in the
Community Supports Policy Guide Volume 2, Medi-Cal managed care plans must cover Transitional Rent for the behavioral health population as the first mandatory Community Supports service beginning on January 1, 2026. To provide more information about the Transitional Rent Payment Methodology, DHCS is hosting a
webinar on October 31, from 10 to 11 a.m. DHCS also encourages partners and stakeholders to visit the
Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports webpage for more information and the new
DHCS Housing for Health webpage for updates on various DHCS-led housing-focused initiatives.
Reinstatement of Asset Limits
Starting October 3, DHCS began mailing a General Information Notice and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to approximately 2.5 million Medi-Cal members, including seniors, people with disabilities, nursing facility residents, and certain families affected by the reinstatement of asset limits. The purpose of the notice is to inform members that asset limits for Non-Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) Medi-Cal programs will be reinstated on January 1, 2026. Members will receive the notice and FAQs in their preferred language. Copies of the notice and FAQs are available in
MEDIL 25-23, and the FAQs are posted
online. Affected individuals must ensure their countable assets remain within allowable limits to maintain Medi-Cal eligibility.
Medi-Cal Coverage of Vaccines
On September 30, DHCS issued an update to the
Medi-Cal Coverage of Vaccines bulletin. DHCS' Medical Director mailed a
letter to Medi-Cal stakeholders on September 17 regarding the recent enactment of Assembly Bill (AB) 144 (Budget Act of 2025). Pursuant to AB 144, Medi-Cal will continue to cover COVID-19 vaccinations for all Medi-Cal members 6 months of age and older, consistent with current California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommendations and regardless of federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations. The Vaccines For Children (VFC) program only covers vaccines that are ACIP-recommended. However, per AB 144, Medi-Cal will cover childhood vaccines outside of VFC if recommended by any of the previously listed organizations, even if ACIP does not recommend them.
Additionally, AB 144 authorizes pharmacists to administer specified vaccines according to CDPH recommendations. A California pharmacist may independently initiate and administer an immunization that was ACIP-recommended on January 1, 2025, or is currently recommended by CDPH, to individuals, including Medi-Cal members, 3 years of age and older. Vaccines may be billed as a pharmacy benefit to Medi-Cal Rx, and DHCS will reimburse pharmacy providers for vaccine pharmacy claims billed at point of sale. DHCS will soon issue an update to
All Plan Letter 24-008 regarding immunization requirements to clarify Medi-Cal managed care plan requirements.
Center of Excellence Selected for the High Fidelity Wraparound Evidence-Based Practice
DHCS is pleased to announce that the Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice, Division of Continuing and Professional Education, within the University of California, Davis, has been selected to serve as the Center of Excellence (COE) for High Fidelity Wraparound Services. The Behavioral Health COEs will support county behavioral health plans and providers by offering training, technical assistance, and fidelity monitoring of evidence-based practices (EBP). These efforts are part of the Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (
BH-CONNECT) and
Behavioral Health Services Act. To implement this initiative, DHCS partnered with Health Management Associates, Inc. (HMA) as the Administrative Entity. HMA will oversee, coordinate, and streamline activities among the organizations selected to serve as COEs. County behavioral health plans and providers can visit the
COE Resource Hub to sign up for upcoming office hours, share feedback and questions, and learn more about COEs.
Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment Update
On October 16, DHCS will publish updated Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment (PACT) policy implementing
Senate Bill 1131 (Chapter 880, Statutes of 2024). The update allows a single site certifier to oversee up to 10 service locations for eligible clinic types, as outlined in the
Provider Enrollment and Responsibilities section of the Policy and Procedures and Billing Instructions Manual. Key manual updates include:
- Clarifications that providers must offer same-day access to comprehensive family planning services upon eligibility determination.
- Requirements that providers inform clients that their Health Access Program Identification Number is valid at any Family PACT provider location.
- General language clarifications and terminology corrections.
Providers using a single site certifier for multiple locations must submit an updated Family PACT Program Provider Agreement (DHCS 4469) and a Site Certifier for Multiple Service Locations Declaration Form for DHCS approval. In addition to implementing SB 1131, DHCS is expanding eligibility to include community clinics and rural health clinics not specified in the bill. A preview of the policy will be shared with stakeholders before publication. Please email
OFPStakeholder@dhcs.ca.gov if you have any questions.
DHCS Publishes New Web-Based Doula Directory
In response to stakeholder requests and as noted in the
Doula Benefit Implementation Report, DHCS published a new, user-friendly, and web-based Doula Directory for
members and
doula providers. The Doula Directory lists doulas by county who have enrolled as Medi-Cal providers and who agreed to be included in the directory. The new Doula Directory contains the same information as the previous directory, including counties served, business name, contact information, specializations, ethnicity, spoken languages, preferred pronouns, and National Provider Identification number. For questions, please email
DoulaBenefit@dhcs.ca.gov.
Smile, California: Mobile Dental Van Event (Inyo County)
On October 16-18, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT, mobile dental van events will be held in Inyo County to provide free dental services. The van will be located at 1360 N Main Street in Bishop.
Smile, California will support the events with a custom flyer, social media posts, and a Smile Alert to notify members and partners of the event. Visitors are encouraged to call 1-888-585-3368 to pre-register and complete the consent forms before the event.
Join Our Team
DHCS is seeking talented and motivated individuals to serve as:
- Chief, Integrated Systems of Care Division. The Chief leads delivery, compliance, and monitoring activities for statewide health care systems for vulnerable populations who are eligible for Medi-Cal and other state health care programs and services. Applications must be submitted by October 14.
- Chief, CA-MMIS Operations Division. The Chief leads the administration, oversight, and monitoring of DHCS' Fiscal Intermediary (FI) Business Operations and FI-Maintenance and Operations (M&O) contracts for the Medi-Cal program. In this role, the Chief also provides oversight of the FI-M&O vendor and related systems used to assist with the processing of approximately $21 billion annually in Medi-Cal claim payments. Applications must be submitted by October 16.
DHCS is also hiring for its Audits and Investigations, Fiscal, Strategic Planning and Workforce Development, 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. DHCS provides free assistive services, including language interpretation, real-time captioning, and alternate formatting of meeting materials. To request services, please email DHCS at the appropriate contact email address at least ten working days before the meeting.
Addressing Perinatal Intimate Partner Violence: Webinar
On October 9, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. PDT, DHCS Medical Consultant Dr. Ana Coutinho will be a featured speaker during a
webinar on Addressing Perinatal Intimate Partner Violence Through Collective Action, Compassionate Care, and Transformative Systems Change. The webinar is being hosted by the Mid-Costal California Perinatal Outreach Program, a program of the California Maternity Quality Care Collaborative. The webinar will cover current Medi-Cal policies for intimate partner violence (IPV) screening and referrals and highlight opportunities for clinics and hospitals to leverage Medi-Cal benefits for members affected by IPV. It aims to equip providers, birth workers, and public health professionals with evidence-based and trauma-informed tools to identify, support, and refer patients experiencing IPV during pregnancy and postpartum. Free continuing education credits are available for physicians, nurses, and social workers. Please see the
Stanford Center for Continuing Medical Education website for more information.
California Children's Services (CCS) Advisory Group Meeting
On October 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. PDT, DHCS will hold the quarterly
California Children's Services Advisory Group meeting. DHCS and the CCS Advisory Group partner to ensure children in the CCS/Whole Child Model program receive appropriate and timely access to quality care. Agenda topics include updates on 2025 priorities and Medi-Cal Rx pharmacy benefits. Additional information and meeting details are available on the
CCS Advisory Group webpage. Please email
CCSProgram@dhcs.ca.gov if you have any questions.
Comprehensive Intrauterine Device (IUD) and Contraceptive Implant Placement Training
On October 15-17, DHCS' Office of Family Planning will host the Comprehensive IUD and Contraceptive Implant Placement Training series. Participants may choose between IUD and Implant Placement training on October 15-16, from 7:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. (
advanced registration required), with both days covering the same content. This training is designed for both new and experienced providers who want to build or refine their skills in IUD placement and removal. The agenda covers patient counseling and consent, method selection, instrument use, and step-by-step instruction for all U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved IUDs. Participants will receive hands-on practice with pelvic models and computer simulators under the guidance of family planning experts. Advanced topics include managing side effects, pain control, troubleshooting difficult placements, and creating clinic flow for same-day IUD services.
Alternatively, participants may select the Implant-Only Placement on October 17, from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. (
advanced registration required). Participants will receive hands-on training for NEXPLANON® placement and removal procedures as well as implant localization techniques. For more IUD resources, visit
IUD & Implant Resources.
Behavioral Health Transformation Community Planning Process: Webinar
On October 16, from 2 to 3 p.m. PDT, DHCS will host a
public informational webinar on engaging in the
Behavioral Health Services Act Community Planning Process, which is the local stakeholder and partner engagement required for each county's Integrated Plan under the Behavioral Health Services Act. During the session, participants will learn how to become involved in the Community Planning Process, how DHCS evaluates meaningful stakeholder engagement in the Integrated Plan, and about resources available to help foster engagement efforts. Individuals must
register to participate virtually. Visit the
Behavioral Health Transformation webpage for more information and additional resources.
Behavioral Health Transformation Quality and Equity Advisory Committee: Webinar
On October 21, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. PDT, DHCS will host the eighth
Behavioral Health Transformation Quality and Equity Advisory Committee (QEAC) public webinar (advance registration required). During the meeting, committee members will collaborate and provide feedback on DHCS' work to measure and evaluate the quality and efficacy of behavioral health services and programs in California. Attendees can provide direct input to DHCS using the Q&A feature. Visit the Behavioral Health Transformation
Stakeholder Engagement webpage for more information about the QEAC webinars and additional resources. Please send any questions related to Behavioral Health Transformation and/or the QEAC webinars to
BHTinfo@dhcs.ca.gov.
ACES Aware Learning Center Webinar
On October 23, from 12 to 1 p.m. PDT., DHCS' ACEs Aware initiative will hold a
webinar, California Providers: Support Youth Behavioral Health with These Free Digital Tools (advance registration required). As part of the Implementation with Intention series, the ACES Aware Learning Center will feature the Behavioral Health Virtual Services Platforms developed through the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), which include
Mirror,
Soluna, and
BrightLife Kids. The presentations will include insights on how these platforms can be integrated into care pathways, enhance engagement with young populations, and extend the reach of behavioral health services across diverse communities.
Strengthening Connections with Children and Youth Best Practices: Webinar
On October 24, from 10 to 11 a.m. PDT, DHCS will host a public webinar,
Strengthening Connections with Children and Youth Providers (advance registration required). The webinar is part of a series of Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) Collaborative Planning and Implementation (CPI) webinars designed to highlight best practices for implementing Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports, increase providers' successful participation in California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM), and improve collaboration with Medi-Cal health plans, state and local government agencies, and others to build and deliver quality benefits and services to Medi-Cal members. The webinar will demonstrate how First 5 programs across California are working with ECM and Community Supports services and providers and explain how schools and school districts help connect children and families with local organizations, youth programs, and health plans. All webinar recordings and best practices resources will be made available at
ca-path.com/collaborative under the “Best Practices and Resources" section. For questions, please email
collaborative@ca-path.com.
Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC)/Behavioral Health (BH)-SAC Meeting
On October 29, 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.
In Case You Missed It
CalHHS Launched Webinar Series on Federal Policy Changes and California's Response
The California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS) launched a new webinar series focused on recent federal policy changes in health and human services and how California is responding to ensure continued access to care. The first webinar in the series addressed vaccine access and guidance. A full recording of the webinar and presentation slides are available for people who were unable to attend.
