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Commission highlights Medi‑Cal, behavioral‑health and federal accessibility rule changes
Summary
Commissioners shared resources on Los Angeles County and state changes affecting people with disabilities, including a transition to the Behavioral Health Services Act, a Department of Justice memo on Olmstead guidance, and a reported July 2027 Medi‑Cal asset test change.
At its July meeting, the Santa Monica Disabilities Commission reviewed a package of policy resources and state updates the chair said are important to people with disabilities in Santa Monica.
The chair directed commissioners and the public to links about Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services guidance on maintaining Medi‑Cal and CalFresh eligibility, a state transition from the Mental Health Service Act to the Behavioral Health Services Act, and commentary from the American Association of People with Disabilities about a Department of Justice memo concerning Olmstead and community integration. “There’s just some concerning things happening at the federal level around disability rights,” the chair said.
Commissioners also discussed reported state budget language that the chair read aloud: as presented, starting July 2027 the asset test for Medi‑Cal eligibility was described in the meeting as $21,000 for individuals and $31,000 for couples, down from figures cited as $130,000 and $195,000 currently in effect. The chair noted earlier proposals had been for much lower thresholds and advised the community to review linked materials.
Why it matters: Changes to federal guidance, state behavioral‑health statutes and income/asset tests for Medi‑Cal could materially affect access to benefits, service eligibility and continuity of care for people with disabilities. Commissioners urged community members to consult the provided resources and county/state pages for details.
Next steps: The commission placed these links in the meeting packet and encouraged community members and service providers to read the source documents; staff will keep the commission updated on any formal rule changes or implementation timelines.
