Traditional Health Care Practices
On October 16, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved DHCS to cover traditional health care practices provided by Indian Health Care Providers (IHCPs) for Medi-Cal members in Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) counties through December 31, 2026, unless extended or amended.
Traditional health care practices encompass two new service types: Traditional Healer and Natural Helper services. DMC-ODS counties shall provide coverage for traditional health care practices received through IHCPs to Medi-Cal members who receive covered services delivered by or through these facilities and meet DMC-ODS access criteria. IHCPs include Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, facilities operated by Tribes or Tribal organizations (Tribal Facilities) under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and facilities operated by urban Indian organizations (UIO facilities) under Title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
Traditional health care practices are expected to improve access to culturally responsive care; support these facilities’ ability to serve their patients; maintain and sustain health; improve health outcomes and the quality and experience of care; and reduce existing disparities in access to care.
For questions related to traditional health care practices, please email traditionalhealing@dhcs.ca.gov.
Guidance
- BHIN 25-036 Traditional Health Care Practices Benefit Implementation – Supersedes BHIN 25-007
- Traditional Health Care Practices FAQs
Resources
- CMS Approval Letter (see pages 1-10)
- Standard Terms and Conditions (see pages 93-142)
Webinars
Informational Webinar, April 22, 2025
Presentation
CCUIH Billing and Claiming Webinar, September 30, 2025
Presentation
Billing and Claiming Webinar, October 30, 2025
Presentation
IHCPs Approved to Participate in Traditional Health Care Practices Benefit
The following IHCPs have submitted opt-in packages and have received approval from DHCS to begin delivering covered Traditional Healer and/or Natural Helper services for Medi-Cal payment.
| NPI | FACILITY NAME | ADDRESS | CITY | DMC-ODS SERVICE COUNTIES | EFFECTIVE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1275964488 | Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley | 1333 Meridian Ave | San Jose | Santa Clara, Santa Cruz | 4/3/2025 |
| 1992779417 | Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic | 90 Via Juana | Santa Ynez | Santa Barbara | 4/14/2025 |
| 1740222934 | American Indian Health & Services | 3227 State Street | Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles | 5/12/2025 |
| 1215068481 | Friendship House | 56 Julian Ave | San Francisco | San Francisco, Alameda | 5/15/2025 |
| 1497751572 | United Indian Health Services | 1600 Weeot Way | Arcata | Humboldt | 5/27/2025 |
| 1902562416 | Southern Indian Health Council | 4058 Willows Rd. | Alpine | San Diego | 6/25/2025 |
| 1689863516 | Native American Health Center | 2950 International Blvd. | Oakland | Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco | 8/14/2025 |
| 1811185259 | Native American Health Center | 160 Capp St. | San Francisco | Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco | 8/14/2025 |
| 1306904222 | K’ima:w Medical Center | 535 Airport Rd. | Hoopa | Humboldt | 9/18/2025 |
| 1861449522 | Indian Health Council | 50100 Golsh Rd. | Valley Center | San Diego | 11/14/2025 |
| 1104435734 | New Life Health Authority | 280 E Standley Street | Ukiah | Mendocino, Lake | 11/18/2025 |
| 1891762985 | Pit River Health Service | 36977 Park Ave. | Burney | Modoc, Shasta | 11/13/2025 |
| 1245356674 | Shingle Springs Health & Wellness Center | 5168 Honpie Rd. | Placerville | El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento | 12/3/2025 |
| 1265457980 | Sonoma County Indian Health Project | 144 Stony Point Rd. | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | 12/19/2025 |
| 1952483406 | Karuk Human Services | 1515 South Oregon St. | Yreka | Humboldt, Siskiyou | 12/22/2025 |
| 1427317981 | Fresno American Indian Health Project | 1551 E. Shaw Avenue | Fresno | Fresno | 12/26/2025 |
| 1003244377 | Bakersfield American Indian Health Project | 501 40th Street | Bakersfield | Kern | 1/30/2026 |
| 1720178478 | Riverside – San Bernadino County Indian Health, Inc | 11980 Mount Vernon Ave | Grand Terrace | Riverside, San Bernadino | 3/20/2026 |
| 1780057521 | Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center | 39990 Faure Road | Hemet | Riverside | 3/20/2026 |
| 1427671882 | Sacred Oaks Healing Center | 33100 County Road 31 | Davis | Yolo | 3/20/2026 |
| 1629130240 | Feather River Tribal Health | 2145 5th Ave | Oroville | Butte, Sutter, Yuba | 3/31/2026 |
DMC-ODS County Contacts
| COUNTY | BEHAVIORIAL HEALTH PLAN (BHP) NAME | CONTACT NAME | NUMBER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01. Alameda | Alameda County Department of Behavioral Health | Anna Phillips | (510)567-8119 | Anna.Phillips2@acgov.org |
| 07. Contra Costa | Contra Costa County Health Services | Fatima Matal Sol | (925) 335-3307 | Fatima.MatalSol@cchealth.org |
| 09. El Dorado | El Dorado County Health & Human Services | Shaun C OMalley | (530) 748 9118 | shaun.omalley@edcgov.us |
| 10. Fresno | Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health | Sharon Erwin | 559-600-6061 | sherwin@fresnocountyca.gov |
| 12. Humboldt | Humboldt County Health and Human Services | Deanna Bay | (707) 572-9102 | dbay@co.humboldt.ca.gov |
| 13. Imperial | Imperial County Behavioral Health Services | Victoria Mansfield | (442) 265-7909 | VictoriaMansfield@co.imperial.ca.us |
| 15. Kern | Kern Behavioral Health & Recovery Services | Ana Olvera | (661) 868-7596 | aolvera@kernbhrs.org |
| 17. Lake | Lake County Behavioral Health Services | April Giambra | (707) 274-9101 | april.giambra@lakecountyca.gov |
| 18. Lassen | Lassen County Behavioral Health | Tiffany Armstrong | (530) 251-8108 | tarmstrong@co.lassen.ca.us |
| 19. Los Angeles | Los Angeles County Department of Public Health | Antonne Moore | (626) 299-4133 | anmoore@ph.lacounty.gov |
| 21. Marin | Marin County HHS: Behavioral Health and Recovery Services | Catherine Condon | 415-473-4218 | Catherine.Condon@MarinCounty.gov |
| 22. Mariposa | Mariposa County | Sarah Higgs | (209) 742-0826 | shiggs@mariposacounty.org |
| 23. Mendocino | Mendocino County Behavioral Health | Isabel Gallegos | (707) 472-2366 | gallegoi@mendocinocounty.gov |
| 24. Merced | Merced County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services | Lidia Caza-Burdick | (209) 381-6800 x3647 | Lidia.Caza-Burdick@countyofmerced.com |
| 25. Modoc | Modoc County Behavioral Health | Stacy Sphar | (530) 233-6312 | stacysphar@co.modoc.ca.us |
| 27. Monterey | Monterey County Behavioral Health | Lindsey O’Leary | (831) 277-9098 | olearylm@countyofmonterey.gov |
| 28. Napa | Napa County Behavioral Health | Marlo Simmons | 707-253-4787 | marlo.simmons@countyofnapa.org |
| 29. Nevada | Nevada County Behavioral Health | Kelly Miner-Gann | (530) 265-1437 | kelly.miner-gann@nevadacountyca.gov |
| 30. Orange | Orange County Health Care Agency | Deana Helmy | (714) 834-6604 | dhelmy@ochca.com |
| 31. Placer | Placer County Health and Human Services | Scott Genschmer | (916) 787-8818 | sgenschm@placer.ca.gov |
| 33. Riverside | Riverside County Department of Mental Health | April Frey | (951) 782-2400 | AMFrey@ruhealth.org |
| 34. Sacramento | Sacramento County Behavioral Health Services | Pamela Hawkins | 916-875-9850 | hawkinsp@saccounty.gov |
| 35. San Benito | San Benito County Behavioral Health | Marcus Padilla | (831) 821-4519 | mpadilla@sanbenitocountyca.gov |
| 36. San Bernadino | San Bernadino County Behavioral Health | Christopher Bailey | (909) 501-0719 | SUDRSProgramSpecialist@dbh.sbcounty.gov |
| 37. San Diego | County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency: Behavioral Health Services | Adria Cavanaugh | 619-733-1538; 619-548-8966 | Adria.Cavanaugh@sdcounty.ca.gov |
| 38. San Francisco | San Francisco Behavioral Health Services | Ryan Fuimaono | (628) 271-6287 | ryan.fuimaono@sfdph.org |
| 39. San Joaquin | San Joaquin County Behavioral Health | Betsey Pettis | 209-468-3800 | bpettis@sjcbhs.org |
| 40. San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health Department | Karina Silva Garcia | (805) 781-4881 | ksilvagarcia@co.slo.ca.us |
| 41. San Mateo | San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services | Sheryl Uyan | (650) 802-5016 | suyan@smcgov.org |
| 42. Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness | Melissa Wilkins | 805-681-5445 | mwilkins@sbcbwell.org |
| 43. Santa Clara | County of Santa Clara Behavioral Health Services | Stephanie Macwhorter | (831) 600-6457 | stephanie.macwhorter@hhs.sccgov.org |
| 44. Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health | Subé Robertson | (831) 454-4959 | Sube.Robertson@santacruzcountyca.gov |
| 45. Shasta | Shasta County Behavioral Health | Christy Coleman | (530) 229-8746 | ccoleman@shastacounty.gov |
| 47. Siskiyou | Siskiyou County Behavioral Health | Sarah Collard | (530) 841-4802 | scollard@co.siskiyou.ca.us |
| 48. Solano | Solano County Behavioral Health | Eugene Durrah | (707) 784-8320 | eadurrah@solanocounty.gov |
| 49. Sonoma | Sonoma County Department of Health Services | Arin Travis | (707) 565-4807 | Arin.Travis@sonoma-county.org |
| 50. Stanislaus | Stanislaus County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services (BHRS) | Lezzette Ervin | (209) 499-7378 | lervin@stanbhrs.org |
| 54. Tulare | Tulare County Behavioral Health Department | Betsy Ayello | (559) 737-4660 x2447 | BAyello@tularecounty.ca.gov |
| 56. Ventura | Ventura County Behavioral Health | Kaj Swanson | (805) 981-9238 | kaj.swanson@venturacounty.gov |
| 57. Yolo | Yolo County Health &Human Services Agency | Julie Freitas | 530-666-8630, Ext 8517 | Julie.Freitas@yolocounty.gov |