​DHCS Stakeholder News - February 3, 2023

PATH Justice-Involved (JI) Round 2 Application Reopens

On January 30, DHCS reopened the PATH JI Round 2 application window, which closes on March 31. Round 2 funding supports correctional agencies, institutions, and other JI stakeholders as they implement pre-release Medi-Cal enrollment and suspension processes. Visit ca-path.com/justice-involved for more information about the upcoming virtual sessions and to learn more about JI Round 2.

Please contact CalAIMJusticePreReleaseApps@dhcs.ca.gov with any questions.

Join Our Team

DHCS is hiring! DHCS has an immediate opening for a new Chief Operating Officer for Programs. This senior executive position provides leadership and oversight for all aspects of three key areas of the Department's operations: Enterprise Data and Information Management, Enterprise Technology Services, and Program Operations.

DHCS is also hiring for our fiscal, human resources, legal, auditing, health policy, and information technology teams. For more information, please visit the CalCareers website.

DHCS is dedicated to preserving and improving the overall health and well-being of all Californians. DHCS' mission is to provide the most vulnerable residents with equitable access to affordable, integrated, high-quality health care, and is currently transforming the Medi-Cal program to make sure it provides the care Californians need to live healthier, happier lives.

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings and Webinars

Whole Person Care (WPC) Evaluation and Public Webinar

On February 8, from 12 to 1 p.m., UCLA will release the final evaluation of the WPC pilot project and host a webinar (advanced registration required) to present selected findings from the final WPC evaluation report. The evaluation findings describe a major and expansive effort in California to address the needs of the most vulnerable Medi-Cal members who were high utilizers of services. The presentation will outline changes, as well as challenges faced by the 25 participating pilots. Additionally, Susan Philip, Deputy Director of DHCS' Health Care Delivery Systems, will discuss the relevance of the findings for CalAIM, and share next steps in caring for high-need, high-cost Medi-Cal members.

In 2016, California launched the WPC pilot project to integrate medical, behavioral health, and social services for a vulnerable group of Medi-Cal members identified as high users of multiple systems and who continue to have poor health outcomes. The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research's Health Economics and Evaluation Research Program was chosen to conduct the statewide evaluation of the WPC pilot project, which ended in 2021.

CalAIM Population Health Management (PHM) Advisory Group

On February 8, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. DHCS will virtually host the next PHM Advisory Group meeting (advanced registration required). This meeting will focus on facilitating PHM Advisory Group members' feedback on DHCS' draft monitoring approach for managed care plans' implementation of the PHM Program. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit additional questions in advance of the webinar to CalAIM@dhcs.ca.gov. Meeting information and materials will be available on the CalAIM PHM webpage.

Provider Enrollment Provider Bulletin Stakeholder Meetings

On February 9, DHCS will hold two public stakeholder meetings via webinar to discuss regulatory provider bulletins. “Requirements and Procedures for the Medi-Cal Enrollment of Providers Offering Services Remotely or Indirectly from their Business Address" will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. “Discontinuation of COVID-19 Emergency Fee-for-Service Medi-Cal Enrollment" will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to submit questions and suggestions during the hearing; written comments will be accepted on the day of the hearings until 5 p.m. Based on the public comments received, DHCS will publish the final bulletins on the Medi-Cal and DHCS websites. The changes will become effective 30 days after publication.

PATH JI Initiative Round 2 Funding Informational Webinar and Virtual Office Hours

On February 9, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., DHCS will hold an informational webinar (advanced registration required) to provide application support for interested entities ahead of the March 31 application deadline for the PATH JI initiative round 2 funding. Virtual office hours (advanced registration required) will also be hosted on February 16, from 12 to 1 p.m., to provide additional application support. Additional details are available on the Justice-Involved Capacity Building Program website. For questions, please email justice-involved@ca-path.com.

CYBHI Fee Schedule Workgroup Session 3 

On February 15, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., DHCS, in collaboration with the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), will virtually host the third public CYBHI Fee Schedule workgroup meeting (advance registration required) to inform the development of the statewide all-payer fee schedule for school-based behavioral health services under the CYBHI. DHCS and DMHC will engage workgroup members on a variety of policy and operational topics to inform the development and refinement of the program design.

Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) and Behavioral Health Stakeholder Advisory Committee (BH-SAC) Meeting

On February 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., DHCS will host the next SAC and BH-SAC hybrid meeting (advance registration required). It will open as a joint meeting, with topics shared by SAC and BH-SAC. A BH-SAC-only meeting will be held after the joint meeting; there is no SAC-only meeting. Attendees can attend in person at The California Endowment, located at 1414 K Street in downtown Sacramento, or virtually. For more information, please visit the SAC and BH-SAC webpages.

Published COVID-19 Information

• SPA 22-0070: COVID-19 Emergency Sick Leave Benefits   
• Updated: DHCS COVID-19 Vaccine Administration FAQs for Providers   
• Updated: DHCS COVID-19 Vaccine Administration FAQs for Beneficiaries 
  
• Updated: Discontinuation of COVID-19 Emergency Fee-For-Service Medi-Cal Provider Enrollment
• Updated: Medi-Cal COVID-19 Vaccination Rates ​