Join the DHCS Foster Care Model of Care Workgroup

The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and the Department of Social Services (CDSS) are establishing a workgroup on the Foster Care Model of Care as part of the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative. The workgroup will provide a forum for stakeholders to provide feedback on opportunities to improve the current system of care for foster children and youth, and whether a new system of care should be developed for children and youth in foster care. Applications to serve on the workgroup will be accepted until 5 p.m. March 22.

The workgroup will be tasked with creating a long-term plan for how foster children and youth receive health care services (physical health, mental health, substance use disorder treatment, social services, and oral health). The workgroup will:

  • Collaborate to develop policy recommendations and timelines for implementing a new model of care for children and youth in foster care — and/or transitioning to an existing but different model — including the FFY program and transitions out of foster programs and services at age 26.
  • Discuss and build consensus to ensure all key players have an opportunity to provide feedback and perspectives to inform an approach to address the unique and complex health care needs of this vulnerable population.

All meetings will be held in person in Sacramento on the following dates: April 21, 2020; June 26, 2020; August 21, 2020; October 23, 2020; and November 20, 2020. The first meeting will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Future meetings may be shortened at the discretion of the workgroup.

For more information on the Foster Care Model of Care Workgroup, please visit the DHCS website. For questions or concerns, or to be added to the workgroup’s distribution list, please email [email protected]. Please note: You will not necessarily receive future updates about the workgroup if you do not ask to be added to the list.