California Health Care Foundation

People in Medi-Cal with complex behavioral and physical health needs face a fragmented system that is challenging to navigate. This paper offers recommendations to build an integrated system of care in Medi-Cal, bringing together physical health, mental health, and substance use services to treat the whole person.

A fundamental shift is underway in California to expand, improve, and reorganize Medi-Cal’s system for treating people with substance use disorders. This report summarizes the experiences of the first counties to implement this new approach.

About 8% of Californians met criteria for substance use disorder, but only 10% of people with a substance use disorder received any type of treatment. CHCF's first Almanac publication to address this topic provides an overview of substance use and addiction in the state.

Mental Health in California: For Too Many, Care Not There provides an overview of mental health in California: disease prevalence, suicide rates, supply and use of treatment providers, and mental health in the correctional system. This Almanac report also includes available data on spending and quality of care.

Federal confidentiality rules, such as the "Part 2" rules, can be a stumbling block for primary care practices seeking to integrate substance use disorder treatment. This paper summarizes the rules and outlines steps that practices can take to coordinate care and stay within the law.

This report synthesizes data about California’s behavioral health workforce. California needs to make substantial investments to meet future demand for behavioral health professionals.

Adolescents and young adults often find it difficult to access substance use disorder treatment in California. This paper provides considerations for expanding public programs for youth.

For adolescents, mental illnesses and substance use disorders often occur together. This report paints a picture of California youth and the behavioral health conditions they face.

Adolescence is when mental illness and often first presents and when drug and alcohol use typically start. Risk of developing a substance use disorder is greater for people who start using during adolescence. For adolescents, mental illness and substance use disorder often occur together. This infographic shows how these issues are intertwined and the big impact they are having on our youth.

As of 2014, Medi-Cal enrollees with mild-to-moderate mental health conditions are entitled to receive mental health services through their managed care plans.