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Board authorizes contract increases for CalAIM mental‑health providers as utilization rises
Summary
San Mateo supervisors voted unanimously to authorize the county health chief to execute and amend agreements to add funding for mental‑health and substance‑use disorder providers after utilization rose under CalAIM’s fee‑for‑service shift.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on May 19 authorized county health officials to sign and amend contracts with mental‑health and substance‑use providers to add funding through the fiscal year end, citing higher‑than‑expected utilization after CalAIM transitioned to fee‑for‑service billing.
Behavioral Health Director Jay Africa told the board the change to CalAIM in fiscal 2024–25 shifted provider billing away from 1/12th payments to fee‑for‑service, leading some contractors to bill at higher volumes. “Some of them are actually more than we expected,” Africa said, explaining the request to amend agreements to sustain services through the year.
Why it matters: County officials said the changes reflect increased access and utilization by residents, and are intended to prevent service interruptions for people receiving mental‑health and substance‑use care. The action keeps county negotiators and program managers able to adjust provider funding as caseloads evolve.
Board action: The measure passed unanimously. Supervisors said they were grateful contractors had stabilized service delivery after the CalAIM transition and asked staff to continue monitoring contractor performance and client outcomes.
