Representatives from Health Management Associates (HMA) will
provide a training session on Wednesday, June 14, from 9
a.m. to 10 a.m., to cover CARE Act eligibility criteria,
including a review of diagnoses, symptoms, functional impairment,
and other criteria. The training will also cover the key points
in the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act
process where eligibility is applied/reviewed (e.g., report,
evaluation).
Last Thursday, the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees
convened their suspense file hearings for bills introduced in
their house of origin. During these hearings, certain bills may
be held under submission and do not advance forward for a Floor
vote. Some bills are passed out of committee, some bills are
held, and others are turned into two-year bills. As the deadline
to pass bills in their house of introduction approaches, the CSAC
Health and Human Services policy unit wanted to provide an update
on key bills of interest to counties.
Last Thursday, the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees
convened their suspense file hearings for bills introduced in
their house of origin. During these hearings, certain bills may
be held under submission and do not advance forward for a Floor
vote. Some bills are passed out of committee, some bills are
held, and others are turned into two-year bills. As the deadline
to pass bills in their house of introduction approaches, the CSAC
Health and Human Services policy unit wanted to provide an update
on key bills of interest to counties.
Advocacy efforts to support AT HOME are in full throttle as the
Legislature evaluates May Revision proposals and begins in
earnest to negotiate key details with the Administration in
advance of the state’s constitutional deadline to pass the budget
on June 15. CSAC’s primary effort is advocating for the inclusion
of
AT HOME Accountability trailer bill language (TBL) in the
2023-24 state budget.
The California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) will
host the second Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment
(CARE) Act Working Group meeting on Wednesday, May 17 from 11a.m.
to 3 p.m., in collaboration with the Department of Health Care
Services and the Judicial Council of California.
Based on current COVID-19 trends, the federal Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) is planning for the federal
Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, declared under
Section 319 of the Public Health Services Act, to expire at the
end of the day today, May 11, 2023.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will be
closing the Community Care Expansion (CCE) application portal on
June 1, 2023, unless funds are exhausted sooner. The CCE Program
provides funding for acquisition, construction, and
rehabilitation projects to preserve and expand adult and senior
care facilities that serve SSI/SSP and CAPI applicants and
recipients, including those who are experiencing or at risk of
homelessness.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has
released the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Youth
Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). Applications for this
approximately $60 million grant program for up to 25 communities
are due by June 27, 2023.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will be
closing the Community Care Expansion (CCE) application portal on
June 1, 2023, unless funds are exhausted sooner. The CCE Program
provides funding for acquisition, construction, and
rehabilitation projects to preserve and expand adult and senior
care facilities that serve SSI/SSP and CAPI applicants and
recipients, including those who are experiencing or at risk of
homelessness.
Supervisors and county staff throughout the state convened in
Sacramento County for the 2023 CSAC Legislative Conference to
engage, empower and
elevate our collective county voice.
CSAC’s five policy committees – AOJ, AENR, GFA, HHS and HLT
– held important discussions to help steer the Association’s
policy and direction. Below is a recap from each policy
committees’ meeting.
The County Medical Services Program (CMSP) Governing Board
recently launched the CMSP Healthcare Infrastructure Development
Matching Grant program (HID Matching Grant) and is now accepting
applications.
While members of the Legislature returned home to their districts
for Spring Recess this week, legislative staff and advocates are
gearing up for long hearing days in the coming weeks as the
deadline for policy committees to hear and report fiscal bills
approaches at the end of April. As bills continue to take shape
in their house of origin, the CSAC Health and Human Services
(HHS) team is actively engaged on dozens of bills that impact
county administration and delivery of critical health, behavioral
health, and social services.
Following a four day “Tour of the State,” Governor Gavin Newsom
delivered a
letter to the Legislature this week, fulfilling his annual
duty to report to the Legislature on the condition of the state.
The letter, which was delivered in lieu of a formal speech,
highlights the Administration’s accomplishments over the past
four years and the major policy announcements made on his
statewide tour of California.
The California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) has
made its Peer Support Specialist Supervisor training available
online.
The course is an hour-long, self-paced online training resource
on CalMHSA’s learning management system.
On Wednesday, the Governor
announced the availability of $907 million in grant funding
for county behavioral health agencies (BHAs) under the initial
round of the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) program to
address the immediate housing and treatment needs of people
experiencing homelessness and serious behavioral health
conditions, including mental illness and substance use disorders.
The Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission
(MHSOAC) has released a
Request for Application (RFA) to award $20 million in
available Mental Health Wellness Act funds to support the
implementation and scaling of Age Wise and PEARLS programs
throughout California with the overall goal of addressing the
mental health needs of older adults.
Yesterday, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) launched
a statewide public information, education, and outreach campaign
to raise awareness about the upcoming return of the Medi-Cal
eligibility renewal process for over 15 million Medi-Cal members,
and to encourage individuals to take steps to maintain their
coverage.
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.
California is experiencing a large winter storm with flash
flood risks, heavy snow for the Sierra and other mountain ranges,
and high wind warnings/advisories remain in effect for much of
the state.
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.
