California Department of Mental Health

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What's New

  • Updated information regarding the transfer of Medi-Cal related specialty mental health services from DMH to DHCS, Stakeholder Summer 2011 and Realignment.
  • State Plan Amendments (SPAs) related to Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health Services have been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  SPA #10-012B regarding Targeted Case Management was approved on December 20, 2010 with an effective date of July 1, 2010.  SPA #10-016 regarding Rehabilitative Mental Health Services was approved on March 21, 2011 with an effective date of October 1, 2010.  DMH would like to thank stakeholders for their participation in the stakeholder process related to the development of these SPAs.  Please use the links below to see the approved State Plan language.

    • Adult Day Health Care

    On March 24, 2011, Assembly Bill (AB) 97 was enacted, authorizing the elimination of the Medi-Cal Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) program, an optional Medi-Cal benefit under California’s Medicaid State Plan.

    The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) submitted a State Plan Amendment (SPA) to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 12, 2011, that would eliminate ADHC as a Medi-Cal benefit.  On July 1, 2011, CMS approved the SPA. 

    On November 17, 2011, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced the settlement of a lawsuit that challenged the elimination of the optional adult day health care (ADHC) benefit.  The settlement provides for the continued delivery of essential health care services to vulnerable poor and elderly residents.  As a result of this fiscally responsible settlement, the state will begin to immediately achieve General Fund savings, which will be approximately $28 million in 2011-12, increasing to $92 million in 2012-13.

    On February 17, 2012, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced that the elimination of the optional Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) benefit will be delayed until March 31. The one-month delay is in response to a request by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for more time to process California’s amendment to the existing 1115 “Bridge to Reform” waiver to implement the new Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) program.

    Because of the delay, the CBAS program is now scheduled to launch on April 1.  During the one-month extension of the ADHC benefit, Medi-Cal will continue to fund the ADHC centers.  

    ADHC participants, family members, and providers can access additional information about transitioning on these websites:

    DMH anticipates that the information identified above will assist ADHC participants to access mental health services.  This extension supports the goal to provide a smooth, seamless transition to quality medical care for service recipients when the benefit is eliminated.