Behavioral Health Services

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health – Policy Division

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health – Policy Division (MCBH-PD) oversees the policy and program areas of the Specialty Mental Health Services, Drug Medi-Cal (DMC), and Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) programs. Specifically, MCBH-PD oversees State Plan Amendments for County Behavioral Health Plans; behavioral health CalAIM development and implementation activities, including for Peer Support Services, No Wrong Door, Documentation Redesign, Behavioral Health Administrative Integration, and Screening and Transition of Care Tools; 988; the Mobile Crisis Services benefit; Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act; Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) Demonstration; Recovery Incentives Program; Family First Prevention Services Act; and Complex Care cases.

MCBH-PD consists of three (3) branches:

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health – Oversight and Monitoring Division

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health – Oversight and Monitoring Division (MCBH-OMD) monitors and oversees County Behavioral Health Plans to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements, regulations, and DHCS contract terms for the Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS), Drug Medi-Cal (DMC), and Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) programs. MCBH-OMD additionally oversees quality and network adequacy of the SMHS and DMC-ODS programs.

MCBH-OMD consists of two (2) branches:

Licensing and Certification Division

The Licensing and Certification Division (LCD) focuses on compliance with State and Federal statute, regulations, and other governing requirements. LCD oversees licensing and certification functions, monitoring, and complaints for Driving-Under-the-Influence Programs, Narcotic Treatment Programs, and outpatient and residential providers. LCD also oversees conducts complaint investigations on certified Alcohol and Other Drug counselors and counselor certification. LCD is also responsible for the licensing, monitoring, unusual occurrence reviews, and complaints for Mental Health Rehabilitation Centers and Psychiatric Health Facilities, as well as the, approvals of 5150 facilities designated by the counties for the purpose of 72-hour treatment and evaluation under the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act and the Children's Civil Commitment and Mental Health Treatment Act.

Community Services Division

The Community Services Division (CSD) has oversight on various behavioral health programs and services for adults, youth, and children. CSD is responsible for policy development, oversight, compliance, and monitoring of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), and the development and implementation of the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) and Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program. Additionally, CSD is responsible for the certification and approval of adult and children's residential mental health programs including Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTP), the State's use and expenditure of opioid settlement funds, and the use and expenditure of funds received by California's counties, cities and other eligible subdivisions from various opioid settlements. CSD also administers several grants from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) including the State Opioid Response, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG), Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG), and Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH). Other programs CSD oversees include behavioral health prevention and family services, as well as Proposition 64 youth SUD prevention funding.