Department of Health Care Access and Information launches $21.25 million program to train community behavioral health providers

The Department of Health Care Access and Information launched the Medical Behavioral Health Community-Based Provider Training Program (MBHCBTP) in a webinar that explained who may apply, what costs the grants will cover and when training must begin.

Angela Brand, section chief for the Behavioral Health Policy Unit at the department, said the current grant cycle has up to $21,250,000 available statewide and that individuals may be awarded up to $10,000 each to pay education and training costs. "This program supports individuals that are training to become alcohol or other drug counselors, community health workers, and peer support specialists," Brand said.

The program is part of California's BH Connect workforce initiative, which Brand said was enabled by a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approval of the BH Connect 1115 demonstration waiver in December 2024. Brand said HAI, in partnership with the Department of Health Care Services, plans to invest up to $1.9 billion in five workforce programs between 2025 and 2029.

Eligibility and permitted uses Applicants must be enrolled in an eligible training or education program that leads to certification in one of the three provider types no later than Sept. 30, 2026, and must complete the program by June 30, 2028. Eligible costs include tuition, required fees, textbooks, required supplies and professional exam and certification fees; the panel explicitly said funds cannot be used for living expenses such as housing, child care or transportation.

Payment mechanics and verifications Emily Robinson, program officer for the MBHCBTP, said awards are paid to the education or training provider rather than directly to individuals. "The application is currently open. It will close on April 30 at 3:00," Robinson said, adding that HAI will reach out to training programs after the application window closes to verify costs and enrollment. Completion-confirmation forms will be sent to training programs and returned via a portal; programs must provide a completion-date verification within 15 days of a grantee finishing training.

Service obligation and placement Brand said grantees must fulfill a three-year full-time service obligation providing direct care in a qualifying medical safety net setting. HAI defines full-time as a minimum of 32 hours per week of direct client care (or 30 hours in school settings) and said service must begin by June 30, 2029 or within one year of completing training, whichever comes first. The agency emphasized it does not provide job placement; applicants should assess local employer availability before applying.

Federal-funding restrictions In the Q&A, a panelist identified as Lindsay clarified that because the program uses federal dollars, applicants must meet the citizenship or immigration-status attestations required by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Lindsay said applicants who cannot attest to an eligible status (for example, undocumented applicants) will not be able to proceed with the application.

Application details and scoring The application has 11 sections, including program eligibility, training timeline, conflict-of-interest disclosures and scoring-related questions. Robinson said scoring factors include languages spoken other than English, prior participation in publicly funded programs and relevant lived or work experience, and referred applicants to Attachment A of the grant guide for the full evaluation rubric.

Breach policy and recoupment Robinson and Brand cautioned that HAI will recoup payments if a grantee fails to complete the education or service obligation; Robinson said the individual grantee — not the training organization — will owe funds back to HAI in the event of a breach. The panel pointed listeners to pages 21–22 of the grant guide for waiver policy details.

Resources and next steps The webinar team said the slide deck and a recording with Spanish interpretation and ADA captions will be posted on HAI's website within seven to 10 business days. Robinson said award notices are expected in July and grant agreements will start in August 2026. The panel encouraged applicants to consult the MBHCBTP grant guide and technical assistance materials and to email questions to mbhcbp@hai.ca.gov; they also provided a BH Connect helpline number for additional support.

The application deadline reiterated at close was April 30, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Webinar materials and program guidance are available on the HAI website.