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Children & Youth Behavioral Health Initiative

California has a new way to support school-based mental and behavioral health services for all students. This new program gives the school access to extra funding, at no out-of-pocket cost to students and their families. Your child’s school is already providing many of these services, like trainings on managing stress, learning about anxiety and depression, group and family counseling, and peer support for students.

 

To access this extra funding, the school will bill your health insurance provider, helping to sustain student mental health and wellbeing support. Health insurers are now required by law to pay for these services. No costs will be passed onto your family - no co-pays, no deductibles, no surprise bills.

 

We understand that health insurance is a personal matter. We want to assure you that your information is safe, will be kept confidential, and be used solely for reimbursement of services.  All information shared is protected under federal and state law, like HIPAA and FERPA. You will receive a sign-up form, showing exactly how this info will be used and by whom.

 

Even if you choose not to share your health insurance information, your child will still receive these services. As a part of the school’s commitment to ensuring students always receive the support they need, your child will always have access to these services. 

Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative

As part of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), the California Department of Health Care Services launched the CYBHI Fee Schedule program, a first-of-its kind effort to make it easier for students and families to get outpatient mental health and substance use disorder support when, where, and how they need it. This program creates a sustainable reimbursement pathway for Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and public institutions of higher education (IHEs) to receive funding for services rendered at a school or school-linked site. The program sets the reimbursement rate for a certain set of outpatient, school-linked services rendered to children and youth who are:

  • Under the age of 26, 
  • Enrolled in public TK-12 schools or institutions of higher education (e.g., California Community Colleges), and 

  • Covered by Medi-Cal managed care plans, Medi-Cal Fee-for-Service, health care service plans, and disability insurers.

Children, youth, and families will not pay out-of-pocket expenses and there will not be any impact to their existing insurance plan nor deductibles.