COVID-19 Policy Issuance and Clarity in the California Children’s Services Program
Organization: National Health Law Program
Primary Contact: Alicia Emanuel
Grant Amount: $50,000 for 6 months
Date Awarded:
Date Completed:
Purpose
The National Health Law Program will advocate with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) for additional guidance on the CCS program and provide clarity on existing DHCS guidance to CCS staff and providers.
Outcome
NHeLP staff created a fact sheet, in partnership with Family Voices of California, on accessing care during the pandemic that is currently available in English, Chinese, and Spanish. NHeLP issued a detailed letter to the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) with recommendations for revised policy guidance around CCS eligibility, state hearings, access to durable medical equipment, family outreach and data collection. DHCS adopted many of these recommendations and issued updated guidance for the CCS program after the letter was reviewed. Additionally, NHeLP staff attorneys worked with the with DHCS and managed care plans to do outreach to families to ensure they understood the guidance.