Integrated Plans
The Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) County Integrated Plans provide an opportunity for communities to engage in the county community planning process to shape the behavioral health services provided. Your lived experience as a consumer, family member, advocate or provider can provide a unique and valuable perspective that will ensure services in your community meet the behavioral health needs of those who need it most.
What is an Integrated Plan?
The County Integrated Plan is a three-year plan required by the Behavioral Health Services Act that outlines how counties will utilize various behavioral health funding sources (i.e., BHSA, 1991 and 2011 Realignment, federal grant programs, federal financial participation from Medi-Cal, opioid settlement funds, local funding, and other funding) to meet statewide and local outcome measures, reduce disparities, and address unmet needs along the
Behavioral Health Care Continuum. The plan must be developed through a transparent community planning process, approved by the county board of supervisors, and submitted via the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) web-based portal in accordance with
Welfare and Institutions Code §5963.02.
Integrated Plan Submission Workflow:
- Conduct Stakeholder Engagement
- Submit Draft IP with County Administration Officer Approval, Including Exemption and Funding Transfer Requests
- Behavioral Health Board Reviews Integrated Plan
- County Board of Supervisors Approves Final Integrated Plan
- Submit Final Integrated Plan to DHCS and Behavioral Health Oversight and Accountability Commission
Integrated Plan Submission Deadlines
All Counties must meet the same
deadlines for submission of their Three-Year Integrated plans. These are statewide deadlines set by the Department of Health Care Services.
Submission Requirements for Draft and Final Integrated Plan
I. Deadlines
- Draft Integrated Plan: due March 31, 2026
- Final Integrated Plan: due June 30, 2026
II. Activities Required Prior to Submission
- Draft Integrated Plan
- Engage stakeholders through the local Community Planning Process
- Final Integrated Plan
- Circulate draft IP for 30-day comment period
- Conduct a public hearing by the local Behavioral Health board on the Integrated Plan
- Behavioral Health Board reviews Integrated Plan and/or makes recommendations for revisions
- Revise draft Integrated Plan, if requested by the Department of Health Care Services, within timeframes set in Chapter 3, Sections E.3 and E.4 of the policy manual
III. Required Submission Items
- Draft Integrated Plan
- Responses to every required item in the Integrated Plan and the Budget Template
- Any Funding Exemption or Transfer requests
- Certification from County Administrative Officer, Chief Executive Officer, or designee to certify compliance with fiscal accountability requirements and that all planned expenditures are consistent with state and federal law
- Certification from county Behavioral Health Director to certify compliance with fiscal accountability requirements and that all planned expenditures are consistent with state and federal law
- Final Integrated Plan
- Responses to every required item in the Integrated Plan and the Budget Template
- DHCS-approved Funding Exemption and Transfer requests
- Certification from County Administrative Officer, Chief Executive Officer, or designee to certify compliance with fiscal accountability requirements and that all planned expenditures are consistent with state and federal law
- Certification from the County Behavioral Health Director affirming compliance with all applicable laws, statues, and regulations
- Approval and certification by the County Board of Supervisors, attesting that the county will meet its realignment obligations
IV. Post-Submission Review
- County submissions may be flagged for further review by DHCS monitoring divisions. This process is not punitive; it provides an opportunity for DHCS to offer technical assistance, clarify policy guidance, or recommend plan revisions to better align proposed activities with state requirements.
Resources
For more information on Integrated Plans, check out these resources from our state and community partners.
