CALAIM INCENTIVE PAYMENT PLAN PROGRAM UPDATE: The California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Incentive Payment Program is intended to support the implementation and expansion of enhanced care management and community supports by incentivizing managed care plans (MCPs) to drive MCP delivery system investment in provider capacity and delivery system infrastructure. It is also intended to bridge current silos across physical and behavioral health care service delivery; reduce health disparities and promote health equity; achieve improvements in quality performance; and encourage take-up of community supports. More information on the MCP Incentive Payment Plan Program Year 1 Gap Filling Plan is available by county (San Diego and Imperial included) on the Department of Health Care Services website. Additional general information on the Incentive Payment Program can be found on the CalAIM Roundtables by Region web pages for San Diego and Imperial counties.
CONNECTING PATIENTS TO THE INTERNET: Internet connectivity has become an essential part of everyday life for people in the region, but the gap between people with and without reliable internet access is growing. The San Diego Association of Governments has resources to help connect patients. A federal program that offers affordable connectivity is also available in Imperial County.
RETENTION PAYMENT PROGRAM: The clock for the Retention Payment Program began on July 30 and will run until Oct. 28. However, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has not issued any guidance on implementation details, including the time period for calculating which employees are full-time and which employees are part-time, and the department does not have a target date by which it will be available. While DHCS develops guidance, CHA has published provisional FAQs to summarize the retention payment legislation. When DHCS issues guidance, the FAQs will be updated to reflect the guidance and additional information.
MONKEYPOX RESOURCES: The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is closely monitoring monkeypox transmission in the U.S. and California to ensure rapid identification of cases. The monkeypox website will be updated as new information emerges. Recent updates to the website include vaccination information. As part of the state’s ongoing response to the monkeypox outbreak, on Aug. 1, Gov. Newsom declared a state of emergency to bolster the state’s vaccination efforts. The proclamation supports the work underway by CDPH and others in the administration to coordinate a response to monkeypox, seek additional vaccines, and lead outreach and education efforts on accessing vaccines and treatment. In addition, the Infectious Diseases Society of America recently held a clinician call on Monkeypox: Updates on Testing, Vaccination & Treatment. A recording and slides are available.
COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE PARTNERSHIP UPDATE: Client dashboards are available for this joint initiative between San Diego County’s Behavioral Health Services (BHS) and the University of California, San Diego’s Child & Adolescent Services Research Center, and Health Services Research Center. The Community Experience Partnership allows the public to explore, monitor, and visualize behavioral health equity data through a series of dashboards. Data sources include surveys, vital records, hospitalization and emergency data, and service and outcome data for individuals served by the BHS system. Community members can access the dashboards and explore equity indicators over specific periods of time and compare data across neighborhoods and numerous subpopulations. Users can also search data based on race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, justice involvement, and more. These interactive dashboards will assist BHS in identifying disparities among underserved and underrepresented populations and help to inform program and service needs in the community.
