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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​CalAIM News & Updates

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CalAIM Initiatives
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Learn about and Apply for PATH and CITED Funds​

Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) provides funding to community-based organizations, public hospitals, county agencies, tribes, and others, to build their capacity and infrastructure to participate in the Medi-Cal delivery system and deliver Enhanced Care Management, Community Supports, and Justice Involved services.

​​CalAIM Corner

CalAIM Corner interviews with DHCS leaders spotlight key CalAIM initiatives.

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DHCS is Offering Integrated Care for People Eligible for Both Medicare and Medi-Cal

(November 22, 2022) ​Starting in January 2023, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), along with our federal Medicare partners, is establishing Medicare Medi-Cal Plans (Medi-Medi Plans). Medi-Medi Plans will continue to provide integrated care for current Cal MediConnect (CMC) members and are available for new enrollment in 2023.  These plans are available in seven counties (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, and Santa Clara) and will be available in additional counties in future years. Read More​

Transforming Behavioral Health

(June 28, 2022) CalAIM is strengthening the state's behavioral health continuum of care for all Californians, including Medi-Cal beneficiaries living with serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, or substance use disorder. To learn more, we spoke with Tyler Sadwith, Deputy Director of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services at DHCS. Read More​

What is Providing​ Access and Transforming Health​ (PATH)?​

(April 27, 2022) PATH is a five-year, $1.85B initiative to build, maintain, and scale the capacity necessary to implement CalAIM. To learn more, we spoke with Susan Philip, ​DHCS Deputy Director of Health Care Delivery Systems.​​ Read more

What is Population Health Management?

​(February 28, 2022) CalAIM’s Population Health Management program is about proactively helping people stay well by identifying illnesses before they worsen and anticipating member needs before they increase. To learn more, we spoke with Dr. Palav Babaria, Chief Quality Officer and Deputy Director of Quality and Population Health Management at DHCS. Read More

​CalAIM Upcoming Technical Assistance Webinars

DHCS provides comprehensive Technical Assistance Webinars to help strengthen and align CalAIM implementation efforts across the state. See the upcoming DHCS Technical Assistance events across all CalAIM Initiatives:

Upcoming DHCS Technical Assistance Webinars​

CalAIM News​​​

California Obtains Fe​​deral Approval to Expand Medicaid Services for Justice-Involved Individuals 

Full press release​

On January 26, 2023, California became the first state in the nation approved to offer a targeted set of Medicaid services to youth and adults in state prisons, county jails, and youth correctional facilities for up to 90 days prior to release. Through a federal Medicaid 1115 demonstration waiver announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), DHCS will partner with state agencies, counties, and community-based organizations to establish a coordinated community reentry process that will assist people leaving incarceration connect to the physical and behavioral health services they need prior to release. 

The goals of the Medi-Cal Justice-Involved initiative include increasing and continuing Medi-Cal coverage; improving coordination and communication among correctional systems, Medicaid systems, and community-based providers; and providing appropriate health care interventions at earlier opportunities. This should result in reduced gaps in care, improved health outcomes, and prevention of unnecessary admissions to inpatient hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, and emergency departments, and reduce overdose, suicide, homelessness, and recidivism. The initiative will help California address the unique and considerable health care needs of justice-involved individuals, improve health outcomes, deliver care more efficiently, and advance health equity across the state.

​Joint Statement on the 2024 Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Contracts ​

On December 30, 2022, delivering on its promise to transform the health system to become person-centered, equity focused, and data driven, DHCS joined with five commercial managed care plans​ to announce an agreement to deliver Medi-Cal services in 21 counties across the state starting in January 2024. 

DHCS Releases Early Implementation Data for ​ECM and Community Supports

On December 22, 2022, DHCS released early implementation data for Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports, which launched in 2022. Data show the early reach of ECM and Community Supports in January through June, and highlight growing member enrollment in both programs, particularly among historically underserved populations. As California continues to strengthen its capacity to deliver ECM and Community Supports services, more members will benefit from the state's efforts to transform Medi-Cal, expand how and where members receive care, and build an equitable healthcare system for all.

​DHCS Releases the California Behavioral Health Community-Based Continuum (CalBH-CBC) Demonstration Concept Paper

On November 15, 2022, DHCS released the CalBH-CBC Demonstration concept paper​, describing its proposed approach to the Demonstration.

DHCS is pleased to share this concept paper and in the months ahead will work with stakeholders to refine and revise the approach to the CalBH-CBC Demonstration with the intent of submitting a formal demonstration application to the federal government in 2023. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback on the concept paper through written comments and/or by participating in forthcoming public forums and advisory groups. Stakeholders also will have the opportunity to respond to and comment on a complete draft of the demonstration application before it is submitted to CMS. Learn more at the CalBH-CBC Demonstration web page.

DHCS will accept public comment on the concept paper through January 13, 2023. Please submit feedback to CalBHCBC@dhcs.ca.gov​ and include “CalBH-CBC Demonstration” in the subject line.​

Implement County-Based Model Changes in the Medi-Cal Managed Care Program​

On November 4, 2022, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) submitted requests to amend the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Section 1115 demonstration and Section 1915(b) waiver. DHCS is seeking the CalAIM Section 1115 and 1915(b) amendment approvals from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement county-based model changes in the Medi-Cal Managed Care (MCMC) program. Through the Section 1915(b) waiver amendment, DHCS also plans to add or update language on policies or programs in the approved CalAIM 1915(b) waiver, including to reflect the MCMC model changes in select counties and direct contracts with the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan available for enrollment of certain Medi-Cal beneficiary populations in select counties. The 30 day public comment and Tribal public comment periods to solicit feedback on proposed amendments to CalAIM Section 1115 demonstration and the Section 1915(b) waiver concluded on Monday, September 12. The following materials were shared for public comment:​
More information can be found on the CalAIM 1115 Demonstration & 1915(b) Waiver webpage​.

Recent CalAIM Webinars 

CalAIM Incentive Payment Program All-Comer Webinar

On December 22, 2022, DHCS hosted host a virtual webinar on the CalAIM Incentive Payments Program (IPP). This event provided updates on the IPP program, including modifications to the program timeline and a detailed preview of the measure sets for 2023-24. Materials from the IPP All-Comer Webinar are forthcoming.

CalAIM​ Office Hours: How Organizations Are Sharing Data for Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports

On December 1, 2022, DHCS hosted a virtual Office Hours on Data Sharing for Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports. This event is part of a series of Office Hours to address implementation questions from the on-the-ground providers of ECM and Community Supports. Materials from the DHCS Office Hours will be posted on the CalAIM ECM and Community Supports Initiative webpage.

CalAIM EPSDT Enrollee Facing Materials All Comer Webinar

On November 18, 2022, DHCS hosted a webinar on the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) Outreach & Education Toolkit’s enrollee-facing materials. DHCS is developing materials through an EPSDT Outreach & Education Toolkit to promote understanding of and access to EPSDT-covered services, the comprehensive healthcare services available to the 5.6 million children and youth enrolled in Medi-Cal. Materials from the EPSDT Enrollee Facing Materials All Comer Webinar can be found on the CalAIM Medi-Cal’s Strategy to Support Health and Opportunity for Children and Families webpage.

​Webinar: Authorization to Share Confidential Medi-Cal Information (ASCMI) Form 
On November 2, 2022, DHCS hosted a webinar on a pilot program to assess the ASCMI Form and its use in a consent management service. The ASCMI Form is designed to facilitate the sharing of members’ physical, mental, substance use, and social health information through a standardized consent process. The webinar provided interested stakeholders with a detailed overview of the pilot and an upcoming Request for Information from DHCS. Materials from the ASCMI Webinar can be found on the CalAIM ASCMI Pilot webpage. 

CalAIM Office Hours: Housing Supports via ECM and Community Supports

On October 27, 2022, DHCS hosted a virtual Office Hours on Housing Supports via Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports. This event is part of a series of Office Hours to address implementation questions from the on-the-ground providers of ECM and Community Supports. Materials from the DHCS Office Hours can be found on the CalAIM ECM and Community Supports Initiative webpage.

CalAIM Webinar: Housing Supports via ECM and Community Supports 

On October 13, 2022, DHCS hosted an all-comer webinar on Housing Supports via CalAIM ECM and Community Supports. This event was part of a series of technical assistance and informational sessions to support implementation of ECM and Community Supports. Materials from the DHCS Office Hours can be found on the CalAIM ECM and Community Supports Initiative webpage​.

Last modified date: 1/26/2023 1:38 PM