CalAIM Corner: What is PATH?
DHCS' transformation of Medi-Cal is underway. Managed care plans, providers, counties and others are already implementing the early phases of California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM). However, this vital work requires many resources and a key part of CalAIM called Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) will help.
PATH supports California's efforts to build, maintain, and scale the capacity necessary to implement CalAIM. It is a five-year, $1.85B initiative to help fund community-based organizations (CBOs), public hospitals, county agencies, Medi-Cal Tribal and Designees of Indian Health Programs, and others to successfully participate in Medi-Cal and serve members. There is a particular focus on historically under-resourced organizations, which helps advance health equity and address social drivers of health. PATH consists of two aligned programs: 1) Support for Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports, and 2) Justice-Involved Planning and Implementation.
To learn more about PATH, we spoke with Susan Philip, DHCS Deputy Director of Health Care Delivery Systems.
How does PATH help to implement CalAIM?
PATH provides critical funding to community-based providers to enable them to participate in Medi-Cal—often for the first time. It can serve as a bridge between Medi-Cal managed care plans on the one hand and CBOs, county agencies, public hospitals, tribes, and other community providers on the other. PATH will help them work collaboratively to expand access to care statewide in a more sustainable way that supports implementation at the community level.
How does PATH support CalAIM's Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports initiatives?
PATH helps providers build the capacity and infrastructure necessary to partner with managed care plans and implement the Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports' whole-person, community-based approach to serving people with complex health and social needs. PATH does this through four integrated initiatives supporting smooth transition of member services from Whole Person Care pilots into managed care coverage; providing technical assistance to local providers; supporting local collaborative planning and implementation in communities implementing these CalAIM initiatives; and broadening capacity of providers who offer Enhanced Care Management and Community Support services.
A key initiative of PATH is funding for programs to support justice-involved adults and youth. How does PATH help that critical work?
Starting in 2023, PATH funding will support correctional agencies, county social services and behavioral health departments, managed care plans, and others as they identify and enroll adults and youth who are eligible for Medi-Cal before their release from incarceration. The goal is to help them maintain access to needed health services as they re-enter their community.
How will PATH support CalAIM's vision for health equity?
PATH is designed to address health equity and social drivers of health. It provides funds for CBOs, county agencies, public hospitals, tribes, and other community providers to deliver support services within their own geographic areas. PATH will help them provide Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports by supporting collaborative planning and expanding their capacity and culturally competent expertise to serve their community most effectively. PATH's justice-involved component also promotes health equity since incarcerated people are historically underserved.
How will PATH funds support community providers who participate in CalAIM?
Community providers that have not previously worked with a Medi-Cal managed care plan will have access to an online Technical Assistance marketplace. It provides training resources, tools and customized support services. In addition, the Collaborative Planning and Implementation initiative will bring various partners to the table and facilitate development of a plan to address common goals.
Community providers can apply for funding to support various activities, including hiring of staff needed to provide Enhanced Care Management or Community Supports; purchasing a billing system; developing analytic capabilities; and participating in data exchanges so that they can partner with plans to ensure care is accessible and coordinated for members. Providers will also be eligible for funding to support the delivery of Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports, such as by purchasing a new refrigerator to store medically tailored meals.
Who is eligible to apply for PATH funds? Who is ineligible?
PATH will fund CBOs, county agencies, public hospitals, tribes, and other community providers that provide Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports. PATH will also fund correctional agencies, county social services departments, county behavioral health agencies, and other to help with Medi-Cal enrollment for justice-involved adults and youth.
Medi-Cal managed care plans are not eligible for PATH funds but have access to other funding sources to support their implementation of CalAIM, such as through the Incentive Payment Program.
What is the best way to stay up to date on PATH?
The CalAIM website has many tools and resources, including links to the PATH factsheet, Enhanced Care Management, Community Support and PATH funding resources. Information on upcoming webinar registration is available, as well as links to presentation slides from previous webinars. Later this year, DHCS will launch a new website for the marketplace that organizations will be able to utilize and access tools and resources related to the PATH initiative. You can also follow CalAIM on Twitter and Facebook .
