Behavioral Health Services
Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Division
Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Division (MCBHD) administers, oversees, and monitors the Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) and Drug Medi-Cal programs. The SMHS program provides medically necessary services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The Drug Medi-Cal (DMC) program provides medically necessary substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The programs are operated at the local level through contracts between DHCS and counties. MCBHD implements program changes related to behavioral health services required by state and federal laws and regulations. DHCS is California's single state Medicaid agency, and MCBHD is the liaison with CMS for behavioral health services in California. Additionally, MCBHD provides subject matter expertise and technical assistance to other state departments and agencies, as well as to MH MCPs, SUD MCPs, SUD FFS counties, and Medi-Cal MCPs. MCBHD is also responsible for state oversight of mental health managed care plans (MH MCPs), SUD MCPs, and SUD fee-for-service (FFS) counties to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements.
MCBHD consists of three (3) branches:
- Program Policy, Legislation, and Regulations Branch
- County/Provider Operations and Monitoring Branch
- Quality and Network Adequacy Oversight Branch
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) is responsible for various behavioral health programs and services for adults, youth, and children. The CSD is charged with policy development, oversight, compliance and monitoring of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTP) and Children's Therapeutic Care Programs. Additionally, CSD administers several grants through the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) including; the Substance Abuse Block Grant (SABG), Community Mental Health Services Block Grant. CSD is also responsible for the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis (Opioid STR) Grants and has funded the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion Project. The MAT Expansion Project consists of three primary components which include the California Hub and Spoke System (CA H&SS), increasing the availability and utilization of MAT statewide, and Tribal MAT Project. As part of grant oversight, CSD administers multiple contracts with counties and providers. Other programs CSD oversees are behavioral health prevention and family services and Proposition 64 youth SUD prevention funding. The CSD is also responsible for conducting data analysis and research activities to various programs that provide behavioral health services to individuals throughout California.