The San Diego County Probation Department recently earned full approval from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) for its CalAIM 90-day pre-release program for youth in custody.
San Diego is the second county in California to reach full approval for its CalAIM Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative and is the first probation department in the State to achieve this level of progress.
“Full DHCS approval strengthens our ability to deliver comprehensive, coordinated care for youth returning home and reinforces our commitment to improving outcomes for the communities we serve,” said Tamika Nelson, chief probation officer.
The CalAIM Initiative reimburses Probation for a targeted set of Medi-Cal services delivered to youth 90 days before they are released.
Last October, San Diego County Probation became the first in the region to get a conditional approval to put its program into use. Since then, 315 youth have been released and connected with expanded reentry services which include medical, behavioral health and community support.
“This major milestone recognizes the department’s comprehensive, high-quality system designed to support youth transitioning back into the community,” said Dr. Lou Gilleran, medical director for Probation.
Probations Operation Director Cyndy Trinh-Keo added, “This achievement reflects the dedication and collaboration of our staff and partners.”
To move from conditional approval to full approval, Probation built and put strong reentry systems in place. These systems include implementing new processes for identifying, enrolling and coordinating care for youth; securing data sharing; deploying a new electronic health record; and integrating with contract pharmacy services to ensure timely delivery and tracking of medications.
The department also strengthened partnerships with Behavioral Health Services, Medi-Cal managed care plans, and community-based providers. Staff received extensive training in CalAIM procedures, substance use disorder care, medically assisted treatment and use of the new electronic health record.
Probation is getting solid use of the program, and staff are effectively coordinating and following-through with community partners. These results played a key role in the State granting full approval.
