December 22, 2025
Top News
CalHHS Leaders Respond to Proposed Federal Restrictions on Health Care Access
On December 18, leaders from the California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS), including Secretary Kim Johnson, DHCS Director Michelle Baass, Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) Director Mary Watanabe, and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan, issued a
joint statement condemning the federal government's proposed restrictions on access to gender-affirming care. The statement emphasizes that gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based, and aligned with national clinical guidelines from leading health organizations.
Leaders stressed that access to this care improves quality of life and reduces depression, distress, and suicide rates. California stands with all youth, families, and providers to combat federal policies that threaten inclusive, lifesaving care. Resources remain available for Medi-Cal members and health plan enrollees to resolve access issues through the
DMHC Help Center and
DHCS support services.
California Releases Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan and County Behavioral Health Plan Ratings
California's health system is delivering results for the third consecutive year, with improved quality and fewer sanctions in key areas, including children's preventive care, dental services, and behavioral health. Delivering on its commitment to improve quality and equity, DHCS
announced the
2024 managed care plan (MCP) and county behavioral health plan (BHP) quality ratings and, in some cases, monetary sanctions for MCPs and Corrective Action Plans for BHPs that failed to exceed required performance levels.
To support continued improvement, DHCS also published the 2026
Medi-Cal Managed Care and Behavioral Health Accountability Sets, which define the quality measures used to evaluate plan performance and guide oversight across the Medi-Cal system. DHCS is dedicated to ensuring Medi-Cal members have access to high-quality, equitable care. DHCS is collaborating with plans on performance goals and providing technical assistance to strengthen quality improvement efforts.
Sanction letters and performance data are posted on DHCS' website. Learn more in the
Quality Fact Sheet. For questions, contact
QualityMonitoring@dhcs.ca.gov.
DHCS Awards $47 Million to 57 Organizations for Elevate Youth California
On December 19, DHCS awarded
nearly $47 million to 57 youth-serving community-based and Tribal organizations to expand substance use prevention programs through the Elevate Youth California (EYC) program. These organizations will each receive up to $1 million over a three-year period, from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028. EYC focuses on substance use disorder prevention by promoting youth leadership, civic engagement, mentorship, and peer support services. It specifically supports youth of color and 2S/LGBTQIA+ youth ages 12 to 26 living in communities disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs.
EYC-funded programs open doors to education, career pathways, and lifelong stability—core priorities of Governor Gavin Newsom's
Path & Purpose executive order. The order directs a coordinated statewide response to improve mental health outcomes, reduce stigma, and expand access to meaningful education, work, and mentorship opportunities. The executive order helps address this crisis, directing state agencies to set a new focus on this issue and create new pathways to reconnect men and boys with the support, assistance, and help they need. For more details or to view the awarded organizations, visit
https://www.elevateyouthca.org.
Program Updates
Consolidated Mental Health Performance Dashboard
On December 19, DHCS posted the consolidated
Mental Health Performance Dashboard on the
DHCS Behavioral Health Reporting landing page. The dashboard combines and streamlines the existing Specialty Mental Health Services Performance Dashboards with the Mental Health Services Demographic Dashboards, presenting them in a new unified format. The dashboards include both existing data from fiscal year (FY) 2019-2020 to FY 2021-2022 and add data from FY 2022-2023. The dashboard supports the improvement of behavioral health outcomes at the individual, program, and system levels. DHCS is committed to strengthening public reporting to improve transparency, accountability, and equity. The combined dashboard offers availability, convenience, approachability, openness, and ease of access to DHCS mental health data.
“One Small Thing" Social Media Campaign
The Office of the California Surgeon General launched
"One Small Thing," a social media campaign encouraging Californians to support postpartum mothers through simple acts of care, like delivering a meal, babysitting, or checking in. DHCS Director Michelle Baass is featured in a
video highlighting DHCS' commitment to maternal health. The initiative addresses postpartum mental health and maternal mortality, noting that more than 60 percent of pregnancy-related deaths occur after hospital discharge and that isolation is a major risk factor for depression. Californians can participate by doing one small thing for a new mom and sharing it online using #OneSmallThing, #StrongStartAndBeyond, and #MaternalHealth. The campaign is part of the broader
Strong Start & Beyond movement to reduce maternal mortality and improve postpartum support.
Data Sharing Authorization Guidance 2.1
DHCS published an update of the Data Sharing Authorization Guidance (DSAG),
version 2.1, which revises the previously released DHCS DSAG 2.0 to help Medi-Cal partners understand how Assembly Bill 133 (Chapter 143, Statutes of 2021) impacts existing data sharing and consent state laws and interacts with federal laws and regulations. The guidance provides a framework for sharing Medi-Cal member data under California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) while complying with federal and state privacy laws. It explains required authorization elements, consent processes (including for minors), and form requirements. It also outlines key legal provisions, the California Data Exchange Framework, and practical use cases to support care coordination across health, behavioral health, and social services. Please email any questions to
DHCSDataSharing@dhcs.ca.gov.
ACEs Aware December 2025 Data Report
On December 18, the
ACEs Aware initiative released its
quarterly data report highlighting significant progress in screening Medi-Cal members for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and expanding provider training statewide. From January 2020 through December 2024, health care teams conducted 4.88 million ACE screenings for 2.74 million unique Medi-Cal members. Additionally, between December 2019 and September 2025, more than 50,900 individuals completed the
Becoming ACEs Aware in California training, including approximately 23,920 Medi-Cal clinicians now certified and eligible for Medi-Cal payment for ACE screenings. The report underscores California's commitment to trauma-informed care and improving health outcomes by addressing toxic stress.
Public Health Alliance for Collaborative Transformation (PHACT) Coalition Webinar
On December 19, the PHACT Coalition hosted the “Protecting Vaccine Access in California" webinar. The conversation featured Dr. Erica Pan, former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials, and Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, CEO of
Your Local Epidemiologist. The discussion looked ahead to 2026 and addressed changes to federal public health policy and programs, California's efforts to strengthen collaboration and innovation through the Public Health Network Innovation Exchange, and potential impacts on the Vaccines for Children program. The PHACT Coalition is a statewide partnership that brings together health systems, providers, insurers, Tribal Health programs, academic institutions, professional associations, and community-based organizations. Led by CDPH in partnership with CalHHS, DHCS, and others, PHACT works to strengthen public health innovation and policy alignment across California. Meeting recordings and materials are posted on the
PHACT website.
Join Our Team
DHCS is seeking a talented and motivated individual to serve as:
- Chief, Financial Management Division: The Chief develops policies and procedures to ensure the fiscal integrity, transparency, and accountability of approximately $202 billion in annual state and federal funding for DHCS. The Chief is also responsible for accounting; budget development, enactment, and administration; and financial reporting. Applications must be submitted by December 26.
DHCS is also hiring for its Accounting, Behavioral Health, Office of Strategic Partnerships, 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 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.
New Online Training to Support SUD Counselors
On January 12, 2026, DHCS, in partnership with the University of California San Diego Division of Extended Studies, will launch the Advancing SUD Counselor Education and Development (ASCEND) Program, a free, self-paced, 80-hour online training for substance use disorder (SUD) counselors. The program was developed with the University of California San Diego Division of Extended Studies and the Assembly Bill 2473 Stakeholder Advisory Group as part of DHCS' ongoing efforts to strengthen the SUD workforce. The training is designed to be completed on your own schedule and features instruction from experienced professionals. The curriculum covers 12 core competencies required for counselor certification. For more information and to view a video about ASCEND, visit the
DHCS YouTube channel. Registration is available on the University of California San Diego Division of Extended Studies
website.
Coverage Ambassadors Webinar
On January 29, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. PST, DHCS will host a
Coverage Ambassador webinar (advance registration required). Coverage Ambassadors are trusted messengers who help raise awareness about Medi-Cal benefits, enrollment opportunities, and new initiatives aimed at building a healthier California for all. Please visit the
Coverage Ambassador website for more information, including how to
subscribe to receive regular updates, newsletters, and webinar reminders.
In Case You Missed It
Assisted Living Waiver Amendment Application: Public Comment Period
On November 24, DHCS posted a draft amendment to the Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) for a 30-day public comment period, prior to submitting the final version to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for reauthorization. This amendment applies to the current waiver term through February 28, 2029. The ALW provides personal care, homemaker services, and health aid support in community settings, and reduces reliance on institutional care by supporting individuals in more independent environments. The goal of the amendment is to clarify guidance and expectations for the provision of residential habilitation, care coordination services through telehealth, and medication management. The ALW amendment application and comment instructions are posted on the DHCS ALW webpage. All comments must be received by December 24 at 11:59 p.m. PST. If you have any questions, please email ALWP.IR@dhcs.ca.gov.
