Accompanied by Santa Clara Supervisors Cindy Chavez and Susan
Ellenberg, as well as San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Governor
Newsom delivered one of his daily COVID-19 updates over the
weekend from a newly leased Motel 6 in Santa Clara County.
This backdrop was significant as Governor
Newsom announced a new statewide master lease
agreement/template with Motel 6 corporate. The agreement includes
5,025 new rooms across Motel 6 locations in 19 counties, and
contains language on extending the leases into the future beyond
the COVID-19 pandemic.
CSAC and county affiliates submitted a coalition
letter to our California Congressional delegation requesting
their support in urging extensions to the Section 1115 Medicaid
waiver and the Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health Services
(1915(b)) waiver. Our coalition has specifically asked our
delegation to support a one-year extension for both waivers.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has created a new
aid code for individuals to assist them in accessing testing,
treatment, and care for COVID-19 related services. Approved
federally as part of the CARES Act, California can now provide
access to coverage for COVID-19 diagnostic testing,
testing-related services, and treatment services, including all
medically necessary care, at no cost to the individual.
In response to the statewide impacts of COVID-19, DHCS announced
the postponement of the California Advancing and Innovating
Medi-Cal (CalAIM) implementation activities. In addition to the
postponement DHCS will request the extension to the current
Medicaid Section 1115 and Section 1915(b) Specialty Mental Health
waivers from the federal government.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced
$186 million in funding for state and local public health
departments for COVID-19 response. California will receive $27.5
Million of this allocation from the CDC.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) released new
guidance on Employment Services provisions in the California Work
Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program,
through an
All County Welfare Directors Letter (ACWDL). The guidance
encourages counties to minimize the fiscal impacts on families,
during a time of economic uncertainty, while continuing to
support them through supportive services.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA) have release an announcement for a webinar and a Funding
Opportunity Announcement (FOA), both to assist with the impacts
to the behavioral health system due to COVID-19.
The White House Coronavirus Task Force indicated last night that
they are relying on a model by the
Institute for Health Metrics
and Evaluation at the University of Washington to prepare for
a health care surge in coronavirus cases.
After growing concerns voiced by the general public, individuals
deemed essential workers, news outlets, and others on the use of
face masks, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
issued guidance on the proper uses of cloth face coverings for
the general public. The guidance stops short of mandating the use
of face coverings and instead can be summarized as an
informational document.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CSAC has been working
across all policy areas to support flexibility throughout county
operations and programs. Over the last few weeks, CSAC has worked
closely with several county affiliates, stakeholders, and state
departments to ensure necessary adjustments are made to vital
county services.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development
(HCD) announced awards totaling $427.9 million from the No Place
Like Home (NPLH) program.
The NPLH program funding was approved to invest in the
development of permanent supportive housing for persons who are
in need of mental health services and are experiencing
homelessness, chronic homelessness, or who are at risk of chronic
homelessness.
The California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) has
begun accepting applications for the second round of funding of
the Investment in Mental Health Wellness Grant Program for
Children and Youth (CY) Grant Program. The deadline to apply in
this second funding round is 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
Counties are working around the clock to identify and respond to
the spread of the novel coronavirus in California. Federal,
state, and local governments and departments have closely
monitored the developments of the novel coronavirus, dubbed
COVID-19 by the World Health Organization.
The National Association of Counties (NACo), the Aetna
Foundation/CVS Health, and the American Public Health Association
have launched the Healthiest Cities and Counties Challenge, an
initiative to accelerate systems-level approaches to improving
community health.
The Office of the California Surgeon General and the California
Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will host a live
informational webinar on Wednesday, February
26, from 12:00 – 1:00 PM. The webinar will provide
an overview of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Aware
Initiative, why providers should screen for Adverse Childhood
Experiences (ACEs); the Medi-Cal certification and payment
process; and screening tools, clinical protocols, and resources
for providers.
CSAC and Counties continue to engage in the robust stakeholder
process for the Governor’s Medi-Cal Healthier California for All
initiative, formerly known as CalAIM. The initiative seeks to
streamline and simplify the state’s Medicaid program while
presenting opportunities for counties to better serve Medi-Cal
beneficiaries and special populations such as foster youth, those
living without shelter, and people transitioning from
institutions like jails, hospitals, and skilled nursing
facilities.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a
proposed new federal rule for increased Medicaid fiscal
transparency late last year called the Medicaid Fiscal
Accountability Rule, or MFAR.
CSAC, along with the County Welfare Directors Association of
California, submitted comments on January 31 opposing the new
rule, which would limit the types of funding states can use to
draw down federal financial participation (FFP) for Medicaid
services.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has posted an
informational chart to provide counties with managed care model
type definitions and requirements. The purpose of the chart is to
aid Counties and Plans in understanding the different managed
care model types and the requirements for each type.
This week the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
ruled
on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA)
provision, known as the individual mandate, which requires
individuals to have the basic level of health coverage. In a 2-1
decision the federal judges ruled the individual mandate
requirement was unconstitutional.
The California Department of Health Care Services has released
dates for summits throughout the state with the purpose of
providing education and resources pertaining to Medication
Assisted Treatment (MAT), stigma reduction, and workforce
engagement to address substance use disorder (SUD). The summits
will take place January through February 2020.
Significant progress continues to be made toward the development
of the state’s Master Plan
for Aging. In order to begin gathering written feedback from
the numerous stakeholders involved in this process, the
Department of Aging established a deadline of December 13 for
initial comments and recommendations.
CSAC’s 125th Annual Conference was held in San Francisco
City/County during the first week of December. The conference
offered a variety of workshops, speakers, policy committee
meetings, and networking opportunities – and the Women’s
Leadership Forum (WLF) had a strong presence.
The WLF held a business meeting on Monday, December 2 where
members discussed the WLF by-laws, topics of interest to the
group and elected Supervisor Lynda Hopkins with Sonoma County as
the new Suburban Co-Chair replacing Supervisor Susan Gorin also
with Sonoma County.
CSAC hosted an In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Training
Wednesday for counties in partnership with the County Welfare
Directors Association (CWDA) and the California Association of
Public Authorities (CAPA). More than 200 county staff and public
authority staff from nearly every county gathered in Sacramento
for a full day of training about the new IHSS Maintenance of
Effort (MOE) that was enacted by Senate Bill 80 (Chapter 27,
Statutes of 2019).
Governor Newsom signed 870 bills into law this year. 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 foster care, health,
homelessness, and more. Stay tuned for more updates from other
policy areas over the next several weeks.
The new laws listed below become effective January 1, 2020 unless
otherwise noted.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has released their
ambitious proposal to reform the state’s massive Medi-Cal
program, which provides health, behavioral health, and oral
health care to nearly 13 million beneficiaries – a third of the
state’s population.
As utility-initiated Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) continue
to impact residents across California, the California Health and
Human Services Agency (CHHS) has established a resource website,
a nonemergency hotline, and PSPS resource guide for counties and
communities during power shutoffs.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) released the
Bringing Families Home (BFH) Program application criteria on
September 5, 2019. BFH was established through Assembly Bill 1603
(Chapter 25, Statutes 2016), designed to provide housing related
assistance to child-welfare involved families, but funding was
set to expire June 30, 2019.
As the Legislative bill deadline has passed, CSAC Health and
Human Services staff took support positions on the following
enrolled bills. These bills are currently being reviewed by the
Governor for signature or veto. There are no HHS bills that CSAC
is asking the Governor to veto.
As we near the end of the 2019 legislative year, CSAC continues
to engage with several bill authors and sponsors to advocate for
the best outcomes for counties. CSAC was successful in
negotiating amendments on the two below bills that will allow us
to remove our opposition.
The California Alliance of Child and Family Services is hosting a
series of community forums to spark dialogue among
community-based organizations, policymakers and government
administrators around school-based mental health, highlighting
meaningful and impactful strategies that are grounded in
evidence. The forum, will examine successful partnerships for the
delivery of school based mental health services. The forums will
be held in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
This week, the Assembly’s Accountability and Administrative
Review and Health Committees, chaired by Assembly Member Cottie
Petrie-Norris and Assembly Member Jim Wood, convened a joint
informational hearing on the oversight and accountability of
Mental Health Services Act Funds (MHSA).
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has posted the
application and funding allocations for one-time Housing
Funds for Whole Person Care (WPC) Pilots. The application
was released to current Whole Person Care Lead Entities on
Monday, July 22, 2019 and updated on posted on Friday, August 9,
2019 to their site. The application contains instructions for
counties, the funding allocations, the methodology used, and a
helpful list of deadlines.
This week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
officially released the controversial
public charge final rule. The rule expands the definition of
public charge to require consideration of current or potential
receipt of non-cash benefits, including Medicaid/Medi-Cal,
SNAP/CalFresh, and federally subsidized housing when determining
whether to extend or revise a legal immigrant’s status.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has released the
application and funding allocations for one-time Housing Funds
for Whole Person Care (WPC) Pilots. The application was
released to current Whole Person Care Lead Entities on Monday,
July 22, 2019.
