On January 1, 2023, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) implemented dyadic care services as a covered benefit under Medi-Cal. Dyadic care combines behavioral health treatment with pediatric care, primarily for children 0-5, to simultaneously support children and their caregivers. It uses an integrated approach that enables early screening and treatment of behavioral health conditions, often overlooked in routine care, and addresses trauma before it escalates. Services covered by the benefit include behavioral health well-child visits, navigation and follow-up for referrals, psychoeducation, family training and counseling, and specified mental and behavioral health screenings for caregivers.
Dyadic care’s integrated approach enables early screening and treatment of behavioral health conditions, often overlooked in routine care, and addresses trauma before it escalates. By involving the entire family, it also screens for broader health and social issues. This holistic model ensures immediate, on-site intervention, reducing barriers to specialized care and promoting overall familial well-being.
Implement dyadic services in Medi-Cal that provide support and care for children and their caregivers simultaneously, in a holistic way. Based on the HealthySteps model of care, which provides integrated behavioral care where pediatric mental health professionals are available to address developmental and behavioral health concerns and families are screened for behavioral health problems together.
Add dyadic behavioral health visits for coverage as well as make slight modifications to existing Medi-Cal benefits.
On January 1, 2023, the dyadic care services benefit went live in the Medi-Cal fee-for-service and managed care systems as described in the Medi-Cal provider manual.
Submitted a State Plan Amendment to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding dyadic services in Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, and Tribal Health Programs.
Published and later refined the All Plan Letter (APL) 22-029 to provide Medi-Cal managed care health plans (MCPs) with guidance on coverage requirements.
Initiated a series of technical assistance webinars and office hours focused on new Medi-Cal benefits, including dyadic services.
Developed an MCP monitoring reporting template to capture member utilization and provider network, including provider capacity.
