Board directs staff to explore expanding home‑visiting services, asks county to pursue Medi‑Cal funding pathways

First 5 Santa Clara County presented a landscape and feasibility report to the board on Jan. 28 detailing the county—s existing home‑visiting programs for families with children ages 0–5, a fiscal mapping exercise, and recommendations to sustain and expand services. First 5 staff told supervisors the county currently has a patchwork of moderate‑to‑high intensity home‑visiting programs that deliver parent education, assessments and referrals, and often leverage federal, state and local funding.

The report identified a modest funding gap to maintain current service levels and a larger funding gap to bring salaries to living‑wage levels for home visitors. It recommended pursuing new Medi‑Cal funding opportunities under the CalAIM reforms (including community health worker benefits and enhanced care management) and piloting a short‑term "targeted universal" home visiting model for newborns to connect families to longer‑term supports.

The board voted unanimously to receive the report and directed administration to return with options for expanding home visiting services that incorporate the First 5 recommendations and explore leveraging CalAIM/Medi‑Cal benefits and partnerships with managed care plans. Supervisors and First 5 said efforts would include working with managed care plans on reimbursement rates and options for administrative intermediaries to manage billing and supervision responsibilities.

Ending: The board approved a referral to administration to develop an implementation plan and funding approach, including exploring Medi‑Cal/CalAIM pathways, and asked staff to return with options within a defined timeline.