DHCS Stakeholder News - December 2, 2022
DHCS is providing this update of significant developments regarding DHCS programs.Top News
Indian Health Program (IHP) Grant Program Request for Application (RFA) Release
On November 29, DHCS
issued a RFA for this IHP grant program that will focus on improving the health of American Indians by addressing primary care recruitment and retention in Indian health clinics. A maximum amount of $22,852,000 is available for two fiscal years to fund awards for this RFA. Funds will be available for distribution to an estimated 45 Tribal and urban Indian health clinic corporations, and grantee award amounts will be determined based upon the number of applications received.
Grant funds can be used to recruit, train, and retain primary care providers. Grantees may also expend funds to provide prevention-oriented health care services that are responsive to the needs of American Indian patients as well as support access to traditional Indian health. These funds were made available as a result of the enacted Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget, which restored the IHP grant program.
For questions about the RFA, please email
TribalAffairs@dhcs.ca.gov.
Program Updates
Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) Grant Funding Available
On December 1, as part of the CYBHI, DHCS
released a RFA seeking proposals for the first round of grant funding totaling $30 million to scale up evidence-based and community-defined evidence practices (EBPs and CDEPs, respectively). For the first round of EBP/CDEP grant funding, DHCS seeks proposals from various individuals, organizations, and agencies to scale parent and caregiver support and training services to parents, caregivers, and children and youth with emerging or existing mental health and/or substance use disorders. Interested parties are encouraged to apply for funding using
this application form by January 31, 2023, at 5 p.m.
Additionally, DHCS developed a document to highlight its overall strategy for scaling EBPs and CDEPs across multiple funding rounds that will be announced in 2023. The CYBHI EBP/CDEP Grant Strategy is posted on the CYBHI webpage.
Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) Pilot Testing for Online System
On December 1, DHCS began a pilot project to allow general acute care hospitals (GACHs) to test PASRR's online system. The initial pilot group consists of six GACHs, and testing will be facilitated from December 1, 2022, through January 31, 2023. The remaining GACHs will be enrolled by region from February through April 2023.
PASRR is a federal and state-mandated program designed to identify evidence of a serious mental illness, intellectual and/or developmental disability, or related condition in all individuals (regardless of insurance type) who are seeking admission to a skilled nursing facility (SNF). To comply with federal regulations, the PASRR process must be completed prior to a beneficiary being admitted to a SNF.
DHCS is required to be fully compliant with California's PASRR process by July 1, 2023. To achieve this, all GACHs will be enrolled in PASRR's online system and must incorporate the PASRR screening protocol in their discharge process. The online system will streamline their efforts to complete the PASRR process before discharging a member to a Medicaid-certified SNF. For more information, visit the PASRR webpage.
Coming Soon: Accepting Applications for Doula Implementation Workgroup
Starting on December 5, DHCS will solicit applications for the doula benefit implementation stakeholder workgroup. Senate Bill (SB) 65 requires DHCS to convene a workgroup to examine the implementation of the doula benefit provided under the Medi-Cal program. The workgroup will consider ways to ensure that doula services are available to Medi-Cal members, minimize barriers and delays in payments to doulas, and make recommendations for outreach efforts, so members are aware of the option to use doula services. Workgroup recommendations will help inform a report to the Legislature to reduce any identified barriers, as required by SB 65. The final meeting of the current stakeholder workgroup, which formed in October 2021 to develop the State Plan Amendment (SPA) and policy for doula services, will be January 26, 2022.
DHCS will send applications for the SB 65 implementation workgroup to current doula stakeholders, post the application on the
doula webpage, and inform interested parties via this weekly stakeholder news update. Applicants will need to submit their applications to
DoulaBenefit@dhcs.ca.gov by December 16. DHCS will review the applications against predetermined criteria, including statutory requirements for representation for various groups, and notify all applicants whether they have been selected in January 2023. The new workgroup will begin meeting in March 2023.
Smile, California Campaign for Medi-Cal Dental Services
DHCS recently published a new bilingual member presentation to
SmileCalifornia.org and
SonrieCalifornia.org. This presentation features slides in English and Spanish, so it can be used when speaking to and educating Medi-Cal members.
The “Get to know a Medi-Cal Dentist" provider testimonial series is being expanded with four new videos to increase Medi-Cal dental provider engagement with the Smile, California campaign and encourage Medi-Cal members to schedule appointments with Medi-Cal dentists.
Join Our Team
DHCS is hiring! We are currently searching for three mission-driven, motivated individuals to serve as
Value-Based Payment Branch Chief,
Quality and Health Equity Evaluation and Monitoring Branch Chief, and
Quality & Health Equity Transformation Branch Chief for the Quality and Population Health Management Program. These Public Health Medical Administrator I positions will help DHCS serve the most vulnerable Californians.
DHCS is also hiring Californians to join 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 access to affordable, integrated, high-quality, and equitable 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
CalAIM Population Health Management (PHM) and Children and Youth Advisory Group Meeting
On December 5, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., DHCS will host a joint public
PHM and Children and Youth Advisory Group meeting (advance registration required). The meeting will feature a panel discussion, facilitated by DHCS, on the implementation of
Enhanced Care Management (ECM) for children/youth and maternal populations of focus. ECM is a statewide Medi-Cal benefit available to select populations of focus that addresses clinical and non-clinical needs of the highest-need Medi-Cal managed care members through intensive coordination of health and social-related services. DHCS will share key takeaways from the managed care plan (MCP) PHM readiness deliverable submissions and the new phased implementation policy for transitional care services under the PHM Program.
DHCS established the PHM Advisory Group to support the design and implementation of the
PHM Program and Service, and the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Children and Youth Advisory Group to inform the policy design and implementation work for CalAIM initiatives that impact children and youth. For more information, please visit the
CalAIM PHM initiative webpage.
CYBHI Fee Schedule Workgroup Session
On December 5, from 3 to 5 p.m., DHCS, in collaboration with the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), will virtually host the
second public 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.
CYBHI Monthly Public Webinar – Overview of EBP/CDEP RFA
On December 7, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., DHCS will virtually host a CYBHI webinar (advance registration required) to provide an overview of the EBP/CDEP grant funding RFA and other CYBHI updates.
Medi-Cal Children's Health Advisory Panel (MCHAP) Meeting
On December 8, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., DHCS will host the next MCHAP hybrid meeting at The California Endowment (1414 K St.). Information on how to join the webinar is available on the
MCHAP webpage, and meeting materials will be posted closer to the meeting date. Please email
MCHAP@dhcs.ca.gov with any questions.
Clinic Administrators and Billing Staff Training on Abortion Services
On December 8, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., DHCS will host a free training webinar to provide guidance to clinic administrators and billing staff on codes and claim submission procedures for abortion services, and to answer billing-related questions. As previously announced, effective October 2022, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Rural Health Centers, Indian Health Services Memorandum of Agreements, and Tribal FQHCs have the option to be reimbursed at the fee-for-service rate for abortions in Medi-Cal. To register, first log in to the
Medi-Cal Learning Portal (MLP) and then register for the training through the
MLP Event Calendar.
CalAIM Screening and Transition of Care Tools for Medi-Cal Mental Health Services
On December 15, from 3 to 4 p.m., DHCS will hold a
webinar (advance registration required) for stakeholders to learn about the Screening and Transition of Care Tools for Medi-Cal Mental Health Services initiative, which goes live on January 1, 2023, as part of CalAIM. This initiative is focused on developing statewide screening and transition of care tools for both adults and individuals under 21 years of age for use by county mental health plans (MHP) and Medi-Cal MCPs. The webinar will review timelines and expectations for implementation, highlight steps MCPs and MHPs can take to support successful launch, and address frequently asked questions. Please email
BHCalAIM@dhcs.ca.gov with any questions.
Published COVID-19 Information
