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; the California Behavioral Health Community-Based Continuum (CalBH-CBC) Demonstration waiver; Recovery Incentives Program; Family First Prevention Services Act; and Complex Care cases.
Youth and Adult Policy Branch
The Youth and Adult Policy Branch consists of two sections: the Program Policy Section and the Youth Projects Section. The Youth and Adult Policy Branch is responsible for:
- Conduct policy analysis
- Develop policy guidance and provide policy recommendations
- Develop BHINs on various topics
- Develop and lead execution of contracts (MHPs, DMC-ODS and DMC)
- Develop state plan amendments
- Participate in various workgroups and meetings with internal and external stakeholders (CMS, counties, departments such as CDSS)
- Implement new or changes to SMHS, DMC-ODS or DMC services
- Lead policy development and projects related to children and youth
- Systems of Care
- FFPSA
- Complex Care
- ICC, IHBS, TFC, TBS
Program Policy Section
The Program Policy Section includes the following two units:
- The Program Policy Unit
- Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Waiver Unit
These units oversee DHCS' policies and contracts with California's 56 Mental Health Plans (MHPs) for the provision of Medi-Cal SMHS. The MHP Contract is required by state laws and regulations (Welfare and Institutions Code Sections 14680-14726, and Title 9, California Code of Regulations, Sections 1810.100 and 1810.110). The MHP Contract sets forth comprehensive requirements for MHPs to provide or arrange for the provision of all covered, medically necessary SMHS to Medi-Cal beneficiaries in each county.
The Medicaid State Plan is based on the requirements set forth in Title XIX of the Social Security Act and is a comprehensive written document created by the State of California that describes the nature and scope of its Medicaid (Medi-Cal) program. It serves as a contractual agreement between the State of California and the federal government and must be administered in conformity with specific requirements of Title XIX of the Social Security Act and regulations outlined in Chapter IV of the Code of Federal Regulations. The State Plan contains all information necessary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to determine if the State can receive Federal Financial Participation (FFP).
For more information on the contracts and California's Medicaid State Plan, please visit Contracts and Medicaid State Plan.
Youth Projects Section
The Youth Projects Section includes the following two units:
- The Complex Care Unit
- The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Unit
The Youth Projects Section supports and addresses acute complex care cases and implementation of components of DHCS' FFPSA responsibilities. The FFPSA reforms federal child welfare funding under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act to authorize the use of federal Title IV-E funding for specified services to children at imminent risk of entering foster care, pregnant and parenting foster youth, and the parents or kin caregivers of these children. The FFPSA also amends Title IV-E of the Social Security Act to limit reliance on congregate care. California's FFPSA implementation plan has impacts on the Medi-Cal program, some aspects of which are described below and for which future guidance will be forthcoming. FFP under the Medi-Cal program may be available for medically necessary SMHS, if all necessary federal approvals are obtained, state and federal Medi-Cal requirements are met, and FFP is not jeopardized. The FFPSA provides that states must implement the required components related to congregate care on or before October 1, 2021 in order for new congregate care placements to remain eligible for Title IV-E funding.
To achieve full compliance with the federal law by October 1, 2021, California has passed Assembly Bill 153 (Chapter 86, Statutes of 2021). For more information, please review BHIN 21-055, 21-060, 21-061, and 21-062.
Additional Resources
California Advancing and Innovation Medi-Cal (CalAIM):
Medicaid and Medi-Cal General:
Contact Information
