Rov qab mus rau Lub Ob Hlis 2022 Stakeholder Communications Update​​ 

Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) Kev nthuav dav​​ 

On January 7, CMS approved DHCS’ amendment to the ALW to add 7,000 slots to eliminate the current waitlist and expand waiver capacity. This amendment is retroactive to July 1, 2021. The purpose of the ALW is to keep eligible seniors and persons with disabilities in their communities and out of institutional care settings.​​ 

On July 12, 2021, DHCS submitted Medi-Cal’s Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Spending Plan, authorized by Section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). ARPA includes an additional 10 percent Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) on certain HCBS services, which can then be reinvested to expand and improve HCBS. CMS conditionally approved California’s HCBS Spending Plan on January 4, 2022. DHCS intends to fund the ALW slot expansion through the enhanced FMAP available through ARPA.​​ 

Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Hloov tshiab​​ 

On January 10,  DHCS released the “BHCIP Round 2B: Planning Grant – Request for Application (RFA)” to solicit applications from county behavioral health agencies and tribal entities for DHCS’ BHCIP and the California Department of Social Services’ (CDSS) Community Care Expansion (CCE) program. DHCS and CDSS re-released this non-competitive joint RFA for eligible organizations to receive up to $150,000 each to initiate and support planning efforts, from April 2022 through December 2022, for the acquisition and expansion of behavioral health infrastructure throughout the state. DHCS and CDSS released the initial RFA from November 1-30, 2021, and on January 3 awarded a total of $5,351,756 to 36 entities (nine are tribes). The BHCIP Round 2B: Planning Grant RFA deadline is February 28, 2022.​​   

Thaum Lub Ib Hlis 31, DHCS, koom tes nrog CDSS, tau tshaj tawm BHCIP: Round 3 Launch Ready thiab CDSS Community Care Expansion Program koom nrog RFA. Cov koom haum tsim nyog rau BHCIP Round 3: Launch Ready tuaj yeem thov thiab tau txais kev txhawb nqa nyiaj txiag los tsim, tau txais, thiab rov kho cov cuab yeej cuab tam hauv cov chaw uas pab cov neeg tau txais txiaj ntsig Medi-Cal. Rau BHCIP, cov ntawv thov tsuas yog raug lees txais los ntawm cov haujlwm uas tau txiav txim siab tias tau dhau los ntawm cov txheej txheem kev npaj, npaj rau kev siv, thiab yuav nthuav dav kev coj tus cwj pwm kev noj qab haus huv txuas ntxiv mus. DHCS yuav muab nqi zog txog $518.5 lab nyiaj pab rau BHCIP Round 3: Launch Ready, thiab cov nyiaj yuav tsum tau them los ntawm Lub Rau Hli 2024 thiab tshem tawm thaum lub Kaum Ob Hlis 2026.​​  

BHCIP Round 3: Launch Ready yuav tsim los ntawm ob daim ntawv thov kom sib npaug cov kev xav tau ntawm cov haujlwm uas muaj peev xwm nthuav dav tam sim nrog cov neeg thov uas xav tau sijhawm ntxiv los tsim lawv daim ntawv thov. Qhov no yuav muab cov neeg thov ob lub sijhawm kawg rau kev xa ntawv. Cov nyiaj seem uas tsis tau muab rau hauv Tshooj Ib yuav muaj rau cov neeg thov thib ob. Hnub kawg yog Lub Peb Hlis 31, 2022, rau tag nrho Daim Ntawv Thov Ntu Ib thiab Tsib Hlis 31, 2022, rau Tshooj Ob daim ntawv thov.​​ 

DHCS was authorized through 2021 legislation to establish BHCIP and award $2.1 billion to construct, acquire, and expand properties and invest in mobile crisis infrastructure related to behavioral health. CDSS oversees CCE, which was established through Assembly Bill (AB) 172 (Chapter 20, Statutes of 2021) as a companion effort, totaling $805 million, and focused on the acquisition, construction, and rehabilitation of adult and senior care facilities that serve Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants applicants and recipients and other adults who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.​​ 

For more information, please email BHCIP@dhcs.ca.gov or visit the BHCIP project website.​​ 

Tus Cwj Pwm Kev Noj Qab Haus Huv Federal Grants Update​​ 

Thaum Lub Kaum Ob Hlis 27, 2021, DHCS tau tshaj tawm RFA uas tau kaw rau Lub Ib Hlis 28, 2022, rau $ 11 lab rau cov koom haum pej xeem thiab ntiag tug uas tsis muaj txiaj ntsig los siv Opioid Siv thiab Txhawb Kev Siv Kev Tiv Thaiv thiab Rov Qab Los hauv LGBTQ2S+ Zej Zog Project txij lub Peb Hlis 1, 2022, mus txog Lub Ob Hlis 28, 2023. Cov koom haum tsim nyog muaj peev xwm thov tau txog li $ 250,000 txhua tus los txhawb kev tiv thaiv thiab kev pabcuam rov qab los tsom rau kev siv tshuaj opioid thiab kev txhawb nqa tshwj xeeb hauv zej zog LGBTQ2S+ thoob plaws hauv California. Cov dej num tsim nyog suav nrog: kev cob qhia thiab nyiaj txiag siv cov khoom siv navigators, cov kws pab tswv yim txog kev noj qab haus huv, kev txhawb nqa, kev coj noj coj ua, cov neeg sib tw hauv zej zog, cov neeg ua haujlwm sib raug zoo, thiab lwm yam los koom nrog kev siv tshuaj opioid thiab kev txhawb nqa kev tshaj tawm, kev tiv thaiv, thiab kev kho mob xa mus rau hauv lawv txoj haujlwm; ua kom muaj kev qias neeg-txo cov phiaj xwm; tsim thiab nthuav tawm cov ntaub ntawv tiv thaiv kev kawm; koom nrog kev kawm paub txog kev raug mob thiab kev nthuav qhia; thiab cov kev pabcuam rov qab los.​​ 

This initiative is funded by the State Opioid Response 2 grant and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, awarded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and is administered by Sierra Health Foundation: Center for Health Program Management as the administrative entity on behalf of DHCS. For more information about this funding opportunity, please email DHCSMATExpansion@dhcs.ca.gov or visit the DHCS website.​​ 

CalHealthCares Qhov Kev Pab Them Nqi Them Rov Qab​​ 

Txoj Cai Nyiaj Txiag ntawm 2018 tau tsim nyog $ 220 lab los ntawm Txoj Cai 56 rau DHCS. Senate Bill (SB) 849 (Tshooj 47, Txoj Cai ntawm 2018) tau tsim Txoj Cai 56 Medi-Cal Kws Kho Mob thiab Kws Kho Hniav Loan Repayment Act Program (LRP) (feem ntau hu ua CalHealthCares). Txoj Cai Nyiaj Txiag Xyoo 2019 tau tsim nyog ntxiv $ 120 lab los ntawm Proposition 56 rau DHCS rau tag nrho $ 340 lab los tswj hwm ntau dua tsib pawg. Cov kws kho mob tsim nyog tuaj yeem thov rau cov nyiaj qiv rov qab txog $ 300,000 hauv kev sib pauv rau lub luag haujlwm ua haujlwm tsib xyoos. Cov kws kho hniav tsim nyog tuaj yeem thov rau cov nyiaj qiv rov qab txog $ 300,000 hauv kev sib pauv rau lub luag haujlwm ua haujlwm tsib xyoos lossis kev txhawb nqa txog $ 300,000 pauv rau lub luag haujlwm rau kev pabcuam kaum xyoo.​​ 

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 Cohort 4 application cycle for CalHealthCares opened on January 24 and will close on February 25. Approximately $54 million is available for physicians and $9 million for dentists who are committed to seeing Medi-Cal patients in California over five years. Please visit CalHealthCares.org for specific eligibility requirements, application information, and informational webinar dates.​​ 

CalHOPE​​ 

CalHOPE tseem muab kev pabcuam kev xav rau cov neeg uas nyuaj mus cuag tau thoob plaws hauv California. Thaum Lub Kaum Ob Hlis 2021, CalHOPE thiab Media Solutions tau tshaj tawm lub davhlau tshiab ntawm CalHOPE cov ntawv tshaj tawm hauv cov khw muag khoom yooj yim thiab Asmeskas Legion thiab qub tub rog ntawm Kev Tsov Rog Txawv Tebchaws. Tsis tas li ntawd, Media Solutions tau tshaj tawm cov nyiaj so koobtsheej tshwj xeeb-themed CalHOPE muaj tswv yim rau cov duab digital, kev sib raug zoo, xov tooj cua, thiab luam tawm, sib sau ua ke xa 59,000 qhov chaw tshaj tawm.​​ 

In January 2022, All It Takes, in partnership with CalHOPE and the California Department of Education, launched A Trusted Space, a film-based program aimed at training educators to help mitigate the effects of emotional stressors on students and their families. This program will be provided to all California public middle and high schools during the 2021-2022 academic year. Lastly, CalHOPE collaborated with the NBA’s Sacramento Kings to provide messaging outside and inside of Golden 1 Center during their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 10.​​ 

Raws li kev tsis paub meej txuas ntxiv dhau los ntawm COVID-19, thaum Lub Ib Hlis, CalHOPE tau xa 30-hnub txuas ntxiv mus rau tsoomfwv thiab tau txais kev pom zoo los txuas ntxiv txoj haujlwm mus txog Lub Peb Hlis 11. CalHOPE kuj tau xa daim ntawv thov txuas ntxiv 60-hnub ntxiv los muab cov kev pabcuam daws teebmeem thiab txhawb kev xav txog lub caij nplooj ntoo hlav 2022.​​ 

Nruam Glucose Monitors​​ 

DHCS added Therapeutic Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems as a pharmacy-billed medical supply benefit through Medi-Cal Rx, effective January 1. The coverage criteria and provider bulletins are available on the Medi-Cal Rx website.​​ 

Dementia Aware Initiative thiab SB 48​​ 

As part of the HCBS Spending Plan, DHCS is developing the Dementia Aware initiative that will leverage $25 million in one-time enhanced federal funding to establish a statewide provider training program in culturally competent dementia care as well as a referral protocol on cognitive health and dementia for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. This is consistent with the standards for detecting cognitive impairment under Medicare and the recommendations by the American Academy of Neurology, the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH’s) Alzheimer’s Disease Program, and CDPH’s ten California Alzheimer’s Disease Centers (CADC).​​ 

Ua raws li qhov kev pib no, SB 48 (Tshooj 484, Txoj Cai Lij Choj ntawm 2021), tsim kev ntsuam xyuas kev paub txog kev noj qab haus huv txhua xyoo raws li Medi-Cal-kev pab them nqi, muaj rau Medi-Cal nkaus xwb cov neeg tau txais txiaj ntsig uas muaj hnub nyoog 65 xyoos lossis laus dua thiab tsis tsim nyog rau kev saib xyuas zoo sib xws. SB 48 ua rau tus kws kho mob Medi-Cal tsim nyog tau txais kev them nyiaj rau qhov txiaj ntsig no tsuas yog tus kws kho mob ua tiav kev cob qhia kev ntsuam xyuas kev paub txog kev noj qab haus huv raws li tau teev tseg los ntawm DHCS. Lub hom phiaj siv hnub rau cov txiaj ntsig no yog Lub Xya Hli 1, 2022.​​ 

DHCS met with CDPH’s Alzheimer’s Disease Program, the CADCs, the Alzheimer’s Association, the California Academy of Family Physicians, the California Health & Human Services Agency Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee, and other stakeholders during the last quarter of 2021 to further establish the needs of the provider training program and to collect clinical and training resources to review and potentially incorporate into the initiative. In collaboration with a University of California (UC) contractor, DHCS will review resources and develop an online provider training. DHCS issued a Request for Information to potential UC collaborators, with the goal of executing a contract in March. DHCS will continue to solicit feedback from stakeholders as the initiative unfolds.​​ 

Dental Transformation Initiative (DTI)​​ 

As of December 31, 2021, Domain 2 payments issued total approximately $228 million, and 3,512 providers have opted in to participate. The goal of Domain 2 is to diagnose early childhood caries by using caries risk assessments to treat it as a chronic disease and to introduce a model that prevents and mitigates oral disease. In accordance with the Medi-Cal 2020 waiver extension, DTI concluded on December 31, 2021. For more information, please visit the DHCS website.​​ 

Full-Scope Pregnancy​​  

On December 16, 2021, CMS approved SPA 21-0066 to provide full-scope Medicaid coverage to all beneficiaries in the Medicaid pregnancy eligibility group with incomes up to and including 213 percent of the federal poverty level, effective January 1. The targeted population for this policy is citizens and lawfully residing individuals. DHCS will issue an All County Welfare Directors Letter to notify partners, publish provider bulletins and newsflashes, and update the DHCS pregnancy webpage. 
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Medi-Cal Health Enrollment Navigators Project​​ 

Vim muaj kev cuam tshuam txog kev noj qab haus huv hauv zej zog los ntawm COVID-19, cov kev pab cuam rau npe nkag rau kev noj qab haus huv tam sim no tseem ceeb dua qub. Raws li AB 74 (Tshooj 23, Txoj Cai ntawm 2019), $ 59.7 lab tau tsim nyog rau DHCS los koom tes nrog cov nroog thiab cov koom haum hauv zej zog (CBOs) los ua Medi-Cal kev nthuav qhia, sau npe, tuav pov hwm, thiab kev pabcuam rau kev mus cuag Medi-Cal nyuaj thiab cov neeg muaj feem tsim nyog tau txais MediC. Cov koom tes koom tes tau siv txoj hauv kev tshiab thiab muaj tswv yim los tiv tauj thiab sau npe cov neeg tsim nyog hauv lawv cov zej zog hauv zej zog, muab cov ntaub ntawv tshuaj tiv thaiv thiab kev tshaj tawm hauv zej zog, thiab koom nrog cov tub ntxhais kawm qib siab hauv txhua qib. Lub sijhawm tam sim no ntawm txoj haujlwm tso cai rau CBOs thiab cov nroog los koom nrog cov haujlwm tshiab lossis nthuav tawm cov haujlwm uas twb muaj lawm rau txhua tus neeg koom, thiab txuas ntxiv kho lawv cov kev tshaj tawm thiab kev tso npe nkag los daws cov teeb meem uas tau nthuav tawm los ntawm COVID-19. Raws li Lub Ib Hlis 2022, tsib tus neeg koom tes ua haujlwm tau tshaj tawm cov nyiaj tsis siv, uas tau muab faib rau cov neeg koom tes uas twb muaj lawm thaum ntxov tshaj plaws.​​ 

Medication Therapy Management (MTM)​​ 

MTM services are now a Medi-Cal benefit for pharmacists. MTM pharmacy services may be billed by a Medi-Cal enrolled pharmacy with an approved Medi-Cal Specialty Pharmacy Provider Application (MC 3155), as well as a signed supplemental services agreement with DHCS for MTM services. Providers may refer to part 2 of the Provider Manual for a detailed explanation of MTM benefits. Providers wishing to receive a copy of the contract must send their requests to MTMquestions@dhcs.ca.gov.​​ 

MTM cov chaw muag tshuaj yog cov txiaj ntsig rau cov neeg tau txais txiaj ntsig Medi-Cal tsim nyog uas ua tau raws li qee qhov kev tsim nyog tau txais txiaj ntsig (saib tshooj 2 ntawm Phau Ntawv Qhia Muab Kev Pab Cuam rau tag nrho cov npe). Tsis tas li ntawd, tus neeg tau txais txiaj ntsig Medi-Cal yuav tsum tau siv tshuaj (lossis tshuaj) rau kev kho mob ntawm kev kuaj mob (saib ntu 2 ntawm phau ntawv qhia tus kws kho mob kom paub meej cov npe). Thaum pib, DHCS yuav cog lus rau MTM cov kev pabcuam ntsig txog:​​  

• HIV/AIDS​​  
• Cov mob puas siab puas ntsws loj (kev puas siab puas ntsws, xws li schizophrenia / schizoaffective disorder, kev puas siab puas ntsws bipolar, thiab lwm yam).​​  
• Mob qog noj ntshav​​  
• Hemophilia​​  
• Mob ntshav qab zib​​  

Cov xwm txheej ntxiv yuav raug ntxiv raws li qhov ntws hauv lub hlis tom ntej. MTM cov chaw muag tshuaj raug tshem tawm ntawm Medi-Cal kev saib xyuas. Cov lus nug ntsig txog kev cog lus ntxiv, kev cog lus, lossis kev pabcuam MTM tuaj yeem xa mus rau MTMquestions@dhcs.ca.gov.​​ 

Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) Waiver Amendment​​ 

Thaum Lub Kaum Ib Hlis 19, 2021, DHCS tau xa ib qho kev hloov kho rau CMS los kos tawm MSSP qhov kev pab cuam los ntawm 1115 Choj rau Reform ua qauv qhia thiab hloov kho 1915(c) zam. Thaum Lub Kaum Hli 1, DHCS, koom tes nrog California Lub Tsev Haujlwm Saib Xyuas Kev Laus, tau tshaj tawm qhov kev zam hloov rau lub sijhawm 30-hnub tawm tswv yim rau pej xeem. Kev hloov kho rau 1915(c) zam yuav thim rov qab txhua lub nroog Coordinated Care Initiative (tshwj tsis yog Lub Nroog San Mateo) rov qab mus rau hauv MSSP qhov kev zam tus nqi-rau-kev pabcuam. Cov kev hloov pauv ntxiv rau qhov kev zam no suav nrog kev hloov tshiab rau thaj chaw pabcuam thaj chaw ntawm cov nroog uas twb tau ua haujlwm lawm, xav tias yuav tau txais Kev Tshawb Fawb Txog Kev Tshawb Fawb Txog Hluav Taws Xob, thiab ntxiv cov neeg koom nrog. DHCS tab tom tos CMS zaum kawg kev pom zoo ntawm qhov hloov pauv zam.​​ 

Qhov kev zam ntawm MSSP muab kev tswj hwm kev noj qab haus huv thiab kev noj qab haus huv rau cov neeg tsis muaj zog, cov neeg laus laus uas tsim nyog tau txais kev tso npe hauv tsev laus, tab sis leej twg xav nyob hauv zej zog. Lub hom phiaj ntawm MSSP yog kom zam dhau qhov kev tso npe ntxov ntawm cov neeg hauv cov tsev laus, thaum txhawb kev nyob ywj pheej hauv zej zog.​​ 

Lub Rooj Hais Plaub Hauv Pej Xeem Hais Txog Kev Txiav Txim Siab Qib Siab Rau Cov Tshuaj Medi-Cal​​ 

On February 24, DHCS is holding a virtual public hearing to discuss changes to the designation of categorical risk levels for Drug Medi-Cal applicants. In accordance with CMS’ newly designated categorical risk levels for newly enrolling and revalidating opioid treatment programs, DHCS is issuing a provider bulletin to update the designation of categorical risk levels for Drug Medi-Cal applicants with Narcotic Treatment Program or Heroin Detoxification Program services modalities. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to submit questions and suggestions during the hearing; written comments will be accepted on the day of the hearing until 5 p.m. After reviewing the public comments received, DHCS will publish the final bulletin on the Medi-Cal and DHCS websites. The changes will become effective 30 days after publication.​​ 

Smile, California Kev Sib Tw rau Medi-Cal Dental Services​​ 

Thaum Lub Kaum Ib Hlis 2021, Smile, California tau tuav ob qho kev nthuav qhia cov tswv cuab virtual hauv Facebook Live ua lus Askiv thiab lus Mev. Cov kev nthuav qhia no tau piav qhia txog cov kev pab kho hniav rau txhua pab pawg hnub nyoog uas tau them los ntawm Medi-Cal thiab hais txog cov lus nug uas muaj feem cuam tshuam txog cov txiaj ntsig thiab kev pab them nqi. Cov kev nthuav qhia tau txais 228 tag nrho cov kev pom ua ke.​​  

Also in November, a Smile, California outreach representative participated in a live radio segment. The segment was translated into Mixteco, an indigenous language spoken by tens of thousands of California migrants. The interview was broadcast throughout Ventura County. The interview received more than 10,000 radio impressions. The outreach representative discussed the Medi-Cal Dental Program, the program’s covered services, the importance of regular dental visits, and how to find a Medi-Cal dentist.​​  

In December, the social media gallery on SmileCalifornia.org was updated with five new social media images and suggested captions for partners and providers to post to their social media accounts featuring the following topics:​​   

• Mob kev paub​​  
• Molar sealants​​  
• Caring for loved ones’ oral health​​  
• Medi-Cal cov kev pab kho hniav​​  
• Qhov tseem ceeb ntawm kev kuaj hniav rau menyuam yaus​​  

Smile, California is supporting National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM) in February. Two virtual informational webinars were held on January 19 and 20 to empower local health champions statewide to motivate Medi-Cal enrolled and eligible members in their communities to learn about the Medi-Cal Dental Program and schedule dental appointments for themselves and their children. The webinars were recorded and posted on SmileCalifornia.org under “Partners and Providers.”​​ 

Also, a new webpage dedicated to NCDHM is published on SmileCalifornia.org and SonrieCalifornia.org, which feature educational resources about children’s oral health, activity sheets, and a new dental health superhero coloring sheet available for download
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