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Humboldt behavioral health staff describe state-driven data overhaul, new reporting tools
Summary
County quality-improvement staff told the Humboldt County Behavioral Health Board that state reforms (CalAIM, Medi-Cal Connect, BHSA) and a new EHR are driving larger reporting demands and operational changes, and that local teams remain understaffed to meet them.
Amy Cohn, interim quality improvement program manager for Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services, told the Behavioral Health Board that the county's Quality Improvement (QI) unit is shifting from a largely paper-driven model to a data-driven system built around an electronic health record called SmartCare. "Our EHR is called SmartCare, and we implemented the program in 07/20/2023," she said, framing the technology as central to compliance and analytics.
Cohn outlined three large state initiatives—CalAIM, BH Connect and the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA)—that require expanded reporting, new workflows and closer alignment with Medi-Cal billing. "CalAIM'style payment reform moved counties to a pay-for-service model and required major operational adjustments," she said, noting that Humboldt had to clean up thousands of records transferred from the county's prior system, Avatar, into SmartCare after state audits. Presenters emphasized that many reporting measures remain under development and that counties will face ongoing validation and performance requirements.
Board members pressed presenters on public access to data and on whether the county has the staff capacity to absorb new reporting requirements. Cohn acknowledged hiring challenges in the QI unit, saying the team still has multiple vacancies and that the workload has increased substantially. The session concluded with staff offering to share dashboard links and additional training resources with board members.
