California Department of Health Care Services

This Overview Report of the 2023 Data Notebook Project, prepared by the California Behavioral Health Planning Council, analyzes data and stakeholder input regarding California's public mental health system. It summarizes findings on standard yearly data, including adult residential care, homelessness programs, and child welfare services, with a specific focus on the context, challenges, and best practices of stakeholder engagement. The report aims to inform policy, identify unmet needs, and recommend improvements to enhance service delivery, community empowerment, and system accountability within behavioral health services.

This document outlines the charter for the Performance Outcomes Committee (POC) of the California Behavioral Health Planning Council. The Council's overarching mission is to review, evaluate, and advocate for an accessible and effective behavioral health system, with a vision for individuals to lead full and purposeful lives. The POC is specifically tasked with examining data and performance outcomes within the public behavioral health system, reviewing and approving outcome measures, and assessing system performance. Key guiding principles include wellness and recovery, resiliency, advocacy, consumer and family voice, cultural humility, and system accountability, all aimed at advising the Legislature and Department of Health Care Services on policies and priorities for California's behavioral health systems.

The executive committee agenda includes updates on council appointments and the recruitment plan to address current vacancies. Key discussions involve the fiscal year 2025-26 expenditure report and allotments, along with an update on the council's focus and committee work for 2026, including strategic priorities such as behavioral health integration, advocacy, patients' rights, and justice-involved populations.

The Systems and Medicaid Committee meeting focused extensively on the CalAIM Payment Reform initiative, which was scheduled to go live on July 1, 2023. Discussions included the transition from cost-based reimbursement to fee-for-service payments, the shift to Intergovernmental Transfers (IGTs) for financing, and the transition from HCPCS II to CPT coding. Presentations were provided by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), the County Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA), and the California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies (CBHA) to cover state, county, and provider perspectives on this reform. Other key discussions involved updates on Short-Term Residential Treatment Programs (STRTPs), challenges related to IMD determinations affecting STRTP capacity, an overview of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), and updates on behavioral health policy developments including the Crisis Care Continuum Plan.

The Systems and Medicaid Committee meeting focused on several key items related to the implementation of Senate Bill 43, which amends the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act to broaden the definition of "grave disability." Discussions included an overview of Senate Bill 43 from the County Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA) perspective and a presentation from Sutter Health on hospital implementation challenges, including workforce adjustments and monitoring involuntary holds. The committee also heard the county perspective from San Francisco regarding local implementation. Other major topics included an overview of the CalAIM Concept Paper for waiver renewals and a discussion and action item regarding the committee's completed activities for the Council's 2025 Year-End Report. The meeting concluded with an action item for the election of the 2026 Committee Chair-Elect.