CALIFORNIA AWARDS $145 MILLION TO EXPAND PROVIDER CAPACITY TO DELIVER CALAIM SERVICES
Funds Will Help Providers Implement Comprehensive, Person-Centered Care Coordination for Members
SACRAMENTO — The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) today announced $145.5 million in awards to 153 organizations across all 58 counties to strengthen services for Medi-Cal members. Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports offer tailored, community-based services, including in-person care coordination, housing support, and other vital resources for Medi-Cal members with complex needs. The awards are part of the Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) Capacity and Infrastructure, Transition, Expansion, and Development (CITED) initiative, which helps local providers grow their ability to deliver whole-person, community-based care.
To support the expansion of ECM and Community Supports, DHCS has awarded more than $1.66 billion to more than 2,200 organizations through its PATH initiatives, including CITED, Collaborative Planning and Implementation, and the Technical Assistance Marketplace. These efforts have already reached more than 373,000 ECM enrollees, delivered more than one million Community Support services, and dramatically expanded access for children and youth, with a 120 percent year-over-year increase in early 2025 alone.
“PATH CITED represents a vital investment in the future of Medi-Cal and the health of California," said DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “By empowering local providers, many of whom serve historically under-resourced communities, we are strengthening the foundation of a more equitable, person-centered delivery system. Together, we're creating lasting change that connects Medi-Cal members to the care and support they need to live healthier, more fulfilling lives. I'm proud of the progress we've made and the partnerships that made it possible."
Recent data show that investments like these are resulting in long-term savings for California's Medi-Cal program. Community Supports have been proven cost-effective, reducing avoidable emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and long-term care use. By investing now, DHCS is helping ensure a more sustainable, efficient, and equitable health care system for the future.
Watch the below short video to hear directly from past awardees about how PATH CITED funding has helped them expand services, hire staff, and build stronger connections with their communities.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT: ECM and Community Supports offer tailored, community-based services, including in-person care coordination, housing support, and other vital resources for Medi-Cal members with complex needs. PATH CITED is helping ECM and Community Supports providers transition, expand, and develop their capacity to provide local, coordinated care for member communities. Awardees will use funds to:
- Hire new staff to provide outreach and community-based ECM services.
- Support outpatient clinical services, including mental health and substance use disorder treatment.
- Purchase IT equipment to help patients access Medi-Cal benefits and services.
- Support health information exchange between entities providing ECM and Community Supports.
- Enhance systems for monitoring and data reporting.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: “ECM and Community Supports are transforming how we care for Medi-Cal members with diverse and often intensive needs," said Susan Philip, Deputy Director of DHCS' Health Care Delivery Systems. “Just like in prior PATH CITED rounds, we are investing in the infrastructure and workforce that make whole-person care possible, ensuring that providers have the tools they need to deliver timely, compassionate, and coordinated care."
"Thanks to PATH CITED support, Sanctuary Centers of Santa Barbara has turned an idea into a thriving clinic that continues to expand its reach and impact," said Sanctuary Centers of Santa Barbara Interim CEO Stephanie R. Drake, PhD. “The Integrated Health Clinic is a model for collaborative, patient-centered care, bridging critical gaps in services and ensuring that Medi-Cal members receive the timely, high-quality, and compassionate care they deserve."
“We did not have the staffing to follow up with people once they were housed, which led to more instability," said Ronni Duncan, Care Management Manager at Adventist Health, a CITED awardee from previous rounds. “PATH CITED funds have allowed us to expand staffing, fill service gaps, and let case managers focus on their specific roles. Most of all, these programs have helped build community and provide hope and healing to people who may not have had access to the healing support we offer."
“Thanks to PATH CITED funding, we are building a growing team of skilled case managers to meet our patients where they are – in homes, coffee shops, and throughout their communities to build trust and transform care," said Jeniffer Zamora, Community Health Program Manager at Peach Tree Health, a CITED awardee from previous rounds.
“Supported by PATH CITED funding, Rady Children's Hospital's ECM program has expanded from San Diego County to also serve Riverside County," said Russell Gagui, ECM Manager at Rady Children's Hospital, a CITED Round 2 awardee. “As we grow, we remain committed to the principles that make pediatric ECM work: hiring from within the communities we serve, designing systems that support families' real-world needs, and centering every effort around improving the lives of children with complex medical and social needs."
"Through the CITED grants, we have been able to expand access to recuperative care and strengthen care coordination by hiring additional staff as well as updating our internal data systems, which has allowed us more time to focus on the acute needs of our clients," said Tracy Wilson, Co-Founder and CEO of Rooted Life, a CITED Round 3 awardee. “CITED grants have been pivotal in allowing us to create robust program where we can focus on the stability and recovery of our clients."
HOW WE GOT HERE: PATH is a five-year, $1.85 billion initiative launched in 2022, providing funds for community-based organizations, county agencies, hospitals, Tribes, and other community providers to support improved health care management and delivery through the Medi-Cal system. Recipients of PATH CITED awards are committed to serving historically under-resourced and underserved populations.
WHAT'S NEXT: Round 4 is the final PATH CITED funding round. DHCS will continue to listen to Medi-Cal members and providers to improve service delivery, making care more accessible, effective, and responsive to California's diverse communities. This also includes utilizing the other PATH workstreams to listen intentionally and provide technical assistance, such as through the Technical Assistance Marketplace and the regional Collaborative Planning Implementation convenings. For more information about the PATH CITED initiative, visit the PATH website.