California’s Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) was
established to allow for the recovery of all economic damages or
out-of-pocket costs for medical expenses. In past years, there
has been a push to amend this act. Most recently trial lawyers
collected signatures for an anti-MICRA ballot measure which would
allow for significant increases in the dollar amounts sought by
plaintiffs in suits against medical providers and healthcare
professionals.
On Wednesday, April 20, the California Department of Aging (CDA)
hosted a results briefing on the Hubs and Spokes Network for
Aging and Disability. The Hubs and Spokes initiative follows up
on direction in the Master Plan for Aging to revisit California’s
Area Agency on Aging (AAA) local leadership structures to meet
the growing and changing needs and advance equity.
The California Department of Aging (CDA) has announced that they
will host a results briefing on the Hubs and Spokes Network for
Aging and Disability proposal. The briefing will take place on
Wednesday, April 20 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and
individuals can
register here. At the briefing, CDA will discuss the findings
from the stakeholder input process and next steps.
The California Department of Aging (CDA) has announced that they
will host a results briefing on the Hubs and Spokes Network for
Aging and Disability proposal. The briefing will take place on
Wednesday, April 20 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and individuals can
register here. At the briefing, CDA will discuss the findings
from the stakeholder input process and next steps.
The California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS), in
partnership with the Departments of Health Care Services, Managed
Health Care, Public Health, Health Care Access and Information,
and Office of the California Surgeon General, will host a webinar
on March 15, 2022 to provide an overview of the Children and
Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), including goals,
descriptions of initiative workstreams within departments, and
stakeholder engagement plans.
The document launches the Department’s forward-looking strategy
to simplify and strengthen Medi-Cal for children and families. It
includes the following action areas:
Seven counties have opted into the nation’s first Contingency
Management program, a rewards-based program to assist recovery
from stimulant use disorders.
Contingency Management is an evidence-based program that combines
motivational incentives such as gift cards and cash with
behavioral health treatments for clients who attend frequent
check-ins and abstain from stimulant use. It is currently the
only intervention that is effective for methamphetamine use
disorder, as there are no medications available.
President Biden extended federal COVID-19 emergency FEMA
reimbursements through July 1 of this year. This
allows states to continue receiving 100 percent cost
reimbursement for COVID-19 emergency response activities. Read
the President’s memorandum on the extension
here.
Today, the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human
Services wrapped up their initial round of hearings with a
hearing dedicated to stakeholder budget requests. On the Assembly
side, the initial human services budget hearings are focused on
larger themes, such as anti-poverty and safety net programs, and
will extend into April. Both subcommittees are essentially
keeping all items open at this point and will revisit them and
take votes around the time of the May Revision. This year, CSAC
is co-sponsoring three human services budget proposals.
In 2020, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) notified
stakeholders of their intent to begin the procurement process for
commercial Medi-Cal managed care plans (MCP) in 2021, with new
contracts beginning January 2024. The procurement process
provides the state an opportunity to clearly identify the vision
and priorities of the state’s Medi-Cal program, outline what is
expected of contracted health plans and providers, while
strengthening the partnerships with the plans that will provide
care to 12 million Medi-Cal beneficiaries throughout the state.
The Governor released the state’s 30-page COVID-19 endemic plan,
titled the “California S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Plan,” last week. CSAC
leadership received a high-level summary briefing on the plan
previously, and input from local health officers and directors on
the plan’s specifics was not solicited.
The California S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Plan includes the following
components:
The State has announced the third round of funding for
launch-ready behavioral health infrastructure and adult or senior
care facilities. Learn more about the
Request for Application (RFA) process during a webinar
on February 10, 2022 at 10:30
a.m. Register by
clicking here.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is looking for
nonprofits and county-operated providers who offer behavioral
health services to develop and implement a mentored internship
program (MIP) to assist in the treatment and recovery of patients
with behavioral health disorders. DHCS will provide funding for
the nonprofits and county-operated provides for the MIP
development and implementation.
This week, the Newsom Administration released their draft of a
statewide
Extreme Heat Action Plan, aimed at better protecting
communities during high heat events.
The California Department of Aging (CDA) has announced that they
will host a results briefing on the Hubs and Spokes Network for
Aging and Disability proposal in March 2022, instead of the
previously announced December 2021 timeframe.
At the briefing, CDA will discuss the findings from the
stakeholder input process and next steps. This initiative follows
up on direction in the Master Plan for Aging to revisit
California’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) local leadership
structures to meet the growing and changing needs and advance
equity.
California’s ambitious federal waiver package, titled “California
Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal” (CalAIM) was approved by the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on December 29.
Governor Newsom met the October 10 deadline to take action on
measures approved by the Legislature and delivered to his desk.
To keep counties informed of new laws that impact them, CSAC will
be publishing 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 local health,
behavioral health and social services programs and services.
The new laws listed below become effective January 1, 2022 unless
otherwise noted.
On November 4, CSAC hosted an In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)
Training Webinar for county and public authority staff in
partnership with the County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA)
and the California Association of Public Authorities (CAPA). The
training provided a refresher course on the revised IHSS
Maintenance of Effort (MOE) that was enacted in 2019 and covered
new wages, benefits, and collective bargaining provisions that
were enacted by AB 135 (Chapter 85, Statutes of 2021) this year.
October 10 was the deadline for final bill action by Governor
Newsom. Following is an update on major bills of interest or
concern for the Health and Human Services policy area that were
among the 800+ bills awaiting action by Governor Gavin Newsom.
For additional questions, please contact Farrah McDaid Ting, Justin
Garrett, or Roshena
Duree.
CSAC is awaiting the Governor’s action on a number of bills that
fall under the health and human services policy area and will
keep counties updated on the outcome of these measures. CSAC is
requesting the Governor’s signature on several of these measures.
Please see the list provided below.
The Governor’s office recently
announced the appointment of Marko Mijic as the new
Undersecretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency
(CHHS), and the appointment of Michelle Baass as the Director of
the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
The Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative (BARHII)
invites counties to a webinar next week, on Wednesday,
September 22, from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. The webinar, “In
the Room Where It Happens: Funding Equity Officer Positions for
Emergency Management” will explore strategies of embedding
Equity Officers throughout local departments and county
administration.
The legislative vehicle to implement a statewide 9-8-8 behavioral
health crisis line,
AB 988 by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, may be dead,
but Governor Newsom is keeping California on track to meet the
July 2022 federal deadline for implementation by earmarking $20
million for the project.
