Placer County approves participation in state BH-Connect behavioral health incentive program
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Summary
The Board approved joining California's BH-Connect program, authorizing up to $15.55 million in program participation with a county match, and ratified an interim payment to capture an initial incentive. Board members praised staff for quickly navigating state requirements.
Placer County officials voted Nov. 4 to join the California Department of Health Care Services'led BH-Connect (Behavioral Health Community-Based Organization Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment) program, authorizing the county to pursue up to $15,551,096 in program funds with a county match not to exceed $7,775,548.
The Board of Supervisors voted to ratify prior steps county staff took to secure an initial incentive payment and to authorize the director of health and human services, or designee, to sign agreements and related documents necessary to participate in the program. The motion to approve was made and seconded and carried by voice vote.
Amy Ellis, director of the adult system of care, told the board the program is an initiative of the state and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services designed to strengthen community-based behavioral health for Medi-Cal members with significant behavioral health needs. "We call that pH Connect," Ellis said, explaining the county had to use an intergovernmental transfer (IGT) mechanism to secure the first incentive quickly.
Ellis told the board the first incentive required an interim county cash submission of about $204,000 that yielded roughly $408,000 in return. She said the program spans five years and that the $15.55 million figure includes the county match; actual earned incentives will depend on which program elements the county opts to undertake. "There is a cost associated to do the programs that then get incentivized that sometimes exceed the cost of the incentive," she said, adding staff will evaluate each opportunity for local alignment before committing to it.
Supervisor Gustafson and other board members commended Health and Human Services staff and the CEO's office for the rapid response needed to capture the short state timeline for the initial incentive.
The Board approved the resolution and related actions without change and directed staff to return with further details as program participation proceeds.