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.
Per the Department of Health Care Services’ (DHCS) Behavioral
Health Information Notice (BHIN) 22-018, Medi-Cal Peer
Support Specialist Supervisors must take a DHCS-approved peer
support supervisory training, such as CalMHSA’s training, within
60 days of beginning to supervise Medi-Cal Peer Support
Specialists. Individuals who meet all eligibility requirements
per BHIN 22-018 and complete the course will receive their
supervisor training certification.
DHCS launched the Medi-Cal Peer Support Services benefit in July
2022, in compliance with
Senate Bill 803 (Chapter 150, Statutes of 2020), which
required DHCS to seek federal approval to establish Medi-Cal Peer
Support Specialists as a provider type and to provide distinct
Medi-Cal Peer Support Services under the Specialty Mental Health
Services (SMHS) and Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System
(DMC-ODS) programs. Following federal approval, DHCS added
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists (Peers) as a unique provider
type within specific reimbursable services. Counties can
voluntarily opt-in to provide this resource in one or both
delivery systems (SMHS, and DMC or DMC-ODS). According to DHCS,
as of January 2023, 47 counties include Medi-Cal Peer Support
Services as a benefit in one or both of their delivery systems.
For more information about Peer Support Specialist supervision,
please see the
Peer Support Services FAQs page. For more information about
CalMHSA’s supervisory training, please visit CalMHSA’s Peer
Certification Supervisor Training page here.
