DHCS Stakeholder News Update - March 11, 2022
Dear Stakeholders,
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is providing this update of significant developments regarding DHCS programs, as well as guidance related to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) Think Tanks
DHCS is establishing two separate CYBHI think tanks comprised of state and national experts to inform the design and implementation strategy of two DHCS-led CYBHI work streams:
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Behavioral Health (BH) Virtual Services and E-Consult Platform: This work stream will provide input on regular automated assessments/screenings and self-monitoring tools, as well as services and supports to help children, youth, and families find assistance regardless of the source of payment for the service or support. The platform will also include e-consultation services for primary care, pediatric, and family practice providers. Think tank members will advise DHCS on the design and capabilities of the platform.
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Evidence-Based Interventions (EBI) and Community-Defined Promising Practices (CDPP): This work stream aims to identify, catalogue, and scale implementation of key EBI and CDPP (based on criteria, such as robustness of the evidence base, impact on racial equity, and sustainability) to improve outcomes for children and youth with, or at high risk for, behavioral health conditions.
Through the think tanks, DHCS will engage leading experts from academia, government, and industry, as well as youth and relevant community members, in an interdisciplinary setting to ensure diverse representation and to promote meaningful development and refinement of program design.
Think tank members will be expected to attend a kick-off meeting and approximately five to eight half-day workshops between April and July 2022. Think tank membership may also require participation in additional ad-hoc meetings.
Those interested in joining one or both think tanks are invited to apply to DHCS. The
CYBHI Think Tanks Application is due by close of business on
Wednesday, March 23. DHCS will notify selected experts during the first week of April, prior to the kick-off of the CYBHI think tanks meetings in mid-April. Selected members will be expected to confidentially contribute expertise and meet time commitments.
Furthermore, DHCS may invite think tank members, in addition to those selected via this application process. Applicants not selected will still have the opportunity to provide input on CYBHI efforts via the broader stakeholder engagement process.
For more information, please email CYBHI@dhcs.ca.gov.
Behavioral Health Provider Sites Grantees
On March 10, DHCS awarded $50.4 million in funding to 84 organizations, representing 128 behavioral health provider sites across California, for behavioral health mentored internships. Grantees will develop and implement an in-house mentored internship program from April 2022 through September 2023, funded by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan Act, through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The internships will vary in duration from two to nine months and will include an array of intern types, ranging from peer specialists to social work and psychology students in both undergraduate and graduate course programs. Organizations will use existing behavioral health employees to mentor the interns who will be comprised of a range of student types from partnering educational institutions, such as high-school graduates and students of continuation school programs, community college programs, and graduate school programs. All grantees are nonprofit or county-operated behavioral health provider organizations authorized to do business in California and to serve adolescent and adult populations, including families, prioritizing those working in underserved and diverse communities.
New Website in 2023 to Highlight Addiction Treatment Options
In April 2023, DHCS and
Shatterproof will launch ATLAS® (Addiction Treatment Locator, Assessment, and Standards Platform), an easy-to-use website highlighting high-quality addiction treatment options. Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States.
Based on Shatterproof's
National Principles of Care, the ATLAS website evaluates substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers' use of evidence-based best practices. The website publicly displays this information to help people and their loved ones find appropriate, high-quality care. Individuals can search for and compare treatment options using criteria important to them, such as location, services offered, and insurance accepted. ATLAS also allows clients to provide feedback on their treatment experience. The platform displays information on all treatment providers for any SUDs in a state, including opioid use disorder.
Additionally, the platform offers secure access to critical data for state policymakers, providers, and health plans to further drive improvements to the ways SUD is treated, fueled by increased accountability and transparency.
The ATLAS website platform has already been implemented in six states and visited more than 100,000 times. During the 12-month pre-implementation period in California, DHCS and Shatterproof will engage providers and other stakeholders through workgroups to inform California's launch of the website. Shatterproof will also work with provider organizations throughout the state to encourage treatment facilities to submit data to ATLAS.
Treatment providers, administrators, and other interested parties are invited to informational webinars to learn more about ATLAS:
ATLAS Virtual Introduction and Provider Roundtable
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March 29, 2 p.m. PDT:Register
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April 4, 3 p.m. PDT: Register
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April 20, 11 a.m. PDT: Register
Visit the
ATLAS FAQ page or
TreatmentATLAS.org to understand how the website is functioning in states where it has already been implemented. For all other questions or suggestions, please contact Patricia Villasenor, Shatterproof State Engagement Director, at
pvillasenor@shatterproof.org.
Published COVID-19 Information
Additional upates will be posted on the
DHCS COVID-19 Response page.
