Earlier this week, the California Department of Health Care
Services (DHCS) announced the awarding of $119 million to help 98
organizations build capacity and infrastructure in Medi-Cal’s
delivery system. These investments are a component of
implementing California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal
(CalAIM), with the goal of providing a more person-centered
approach to delivering health care to California’s most
vulnerable residents.
The California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS)
announced it will be hosting the first Community Assistance,
Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act Working Group meeting on
February 14 from 1pm-4pm, in collaboration with the Department of
Health Care Services and the Judicial Council of California.
On January 30, the Biden Administration
communicated to Congress its intent to extend both the
COVID-19 national emergency and public health emergency (PHE)
declarations to May 11, and then end both emergencies on that
date. This wind-down would align with the Administration’s
previous commitments to provide at least 60 days’ notice prior to
termination of the PHE.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has provided the
following information regarding various funding opportunities
that may be of interest to counties:
The County Medical Services Program (CMSP) Governing Board is
launching the CMSP Healthcare Infrastructure Development Matching
Grant (HID Matching Grant) Program to assist CMSP counties
develop expanded facility capacity to provide healthcare and
behavioral health services to underserved populations, including
CMSP beneficiaries.
Next Friday, the Governor’s Office, the California Health & Human
Services Agency, and the California Department of Aging will host
a webinar for the public release of three key milestones related
to the Master Plan for Aging (MPA).
On January 11, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary
Becerra extended
the federal public health emergency (PHE) due to the
COVID-19 pandemic for another 90 days, delaying the expiration
until April 11, 2023, although the Secretary may terminate the
declaration whenever he determines that the emergency has ceased
to exist. Secretary Becerra has previously promised to provide 60
days’ notice before ending the emergency.
The California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS), in
collaboration with the Department of Health Care Services and the
Judicial Council of California, will be sharing a webinar with
general information and important updates on the implementation
of the Community Assistance, Recovery & Empowerment (CARE) Act.
The recorded webinar will be posted on the CalHHS CARE Act website
coinciding with an email announcement on Monday, December
19.
Join CSAC, Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), and
Urban Counties of California (UCC) on Friday,
December 9, to learn what to expect for CARE Court
implementation.
Yesterday, Governor Newsom
announced $480.5 million in awards for 54 projects across
California to improve California’s behavioral health
infrastructure for children and youth. These funds will be used
to construct new facilities and expand existing facilities that
help children, youth, transition-age youth, and perinatal
individuals with a behavioral health and/or substance use
disorder.
On December 1, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)
released a
Request for Applications (RFA) as part of the Children and
Youth Behavioral Health Initiative. In this first round of grant
funding totaling $30 million, DHCS is seeking proposals to scale
up evidence-based and community-defined evidence practices.
On December 1, the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency
(BCSH) released a Notice
of Funding Availability for $240 million as part of the
Encampment Resolution Fund grant program. Authorized through the
2022 Budget Act, this serves as the first round of funding out of
the total $700 million authorized over the next two years to
assist local governments in closing encampments and transitioning
people into housing and shelter.
Governor Gavin Newsom hosted a convening of the first cohort of
counties who will implement the Community Assistance, Recovery
and Empowerment (CARE) Act, a bill authored by Senator Thomas
Umberg and Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman and sponsored by
Governor Newsom.
Seven counties will establish the new court process by October 1,
2023, with the remaining 51 counties in December 2024. The pilot
counties are Glenn, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Stanislaus,
Tuolumne, and the City and County of San Francisco.
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES)
is requesting local jurisdictions to submit all eligible COVID-19
costs incurred up to July 1, 2022 in order to maximize Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement. Although the
September 30 deadline for this submission to Cal OES has lapsed,
Cal OES is still accepting these submissions as many local
jurisdictions’ submissions are still outstanding.
CSAC recently reported on the final outcomes of measures that
were approved by the Legislature and delivered to Governor Newsom
for action. To keep counties informed of new laws of interest and
impact, CSAC will publish a series of articles to spotlight those
laws in each policy area. This week, the Health and Human
Services policy area provides information on new laws affecting
behavioral health, health services, and human services in
California counties.
The new laws listed below become effective January 1, 2023 unless
otherwise noted.
