A lot has been happening around the state in related to how youth in California receive mental health services. Here’s two highlights that have the potential to impact the future of our work!
Expansion of Katie A.
The 2011 settlement of the Katie A. lawsuit required child welfare and mental health systems to provide foster youth with “coordinated, comprehensive, and community-based services,” which include Intensive Care Coordination (ICC) and Intensive Home Based Services (IHBS). Earlier this month, the California Department of Health Care Services notified counties that all MediCal eligible youth are now entitled to such services if needed.
Here’s a bit more info about the initial Katie A. settlement agreement.
What does this mean for our work?
Once county mental health departments figure out how to implement, our clients with MediCal insurance should have more support and services available.
For more detailed info, the full letter can be found here.
State-level Analysis of Transition from AB 3632 to AB 114 (ERMHS)
Last month the California State Auditor completed an analysis of how the provision of mental health services to students in Special Education. In 2011, the state underwent a transition which transferred the responsibility for the provision of such services from county mental health departments to local educational agencies (LEAs) otherwise known as districts. See the graphic for a better understanding of what changed in this transition:
Expansion of Katie A.
The 2011 settlement of the Katie A. lawsuit required child welfare and mental health systems to provide foster youth with “coordinated, comprehensive, and community-based services,” which include Intensive Care Coordination (ICC) and Intensive Home Based Services (IHBS). Earlier this month, the California Department of Health Care Services notified counties that all MediCal eligible youth are now entitled to such services if needed.
Here’s a bit more info about the initial Katie A. settlement agreement.
What does this mean for our work?
Once county mental health departments figure out how to implement, our clients with MediCal insurance should have more support and services available.
For more detailed info, the full letter can be found here.
State-level Analysis of Transition from AB 3632 to AB 114 (ERMHS)
Last month the California State Auditor completed an analysis of how the provision of mental health services to students in Special Education. In 2011, the state underwent a transition which transferred the responsibility for the provision of such services from county mental health departments to local educational agencies (LEAs) otherwise known as districts. See the graphic for a better understanding of what changed in this transition:
Key Responsibilities Under State Special Education Law Before and After Assembly Bill 14 Took Effect
The audit produced the several recommendations, including:
What does this mean for our work?
- Implementing processes to track outcomes for students receiving ERMHS to determine whether services are effective.
- SELPAs (the regional governing bodies for Special Education) and County Mental Health Departments should increase their collaboration in providing school based services
What does this mean for our work?
- Seneca and All-In! are at the forefront of developing measures to track the effectiveness of mental health services. Our program-wide implementation and analysis of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Assessment positions us to be influential in how measurement tools are developed state-wide!
- Increased collaboration between county mental health departments and SELPAs is right in line with our goal of integrated, coordinated services and service systems. Integration and coordination are essential for building efficient school systems and ensuring our most vulnerable students are getting the supports they need to be successful at school!
Blog post written by:
Robin Detterman, Executive Director of School Partnerships
Robin Detterman, Executive Director of School Partnerships
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