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California Behavioral Health Services Division

California’s Department of Health Care Services oversees the transformation of behavioral health through innovative Medi-Cal policy, licensing, infrastructure programs, and statewide monitoring.

California Behavioral Health Services Division post image

The Behavioral Health Services (BHS) section of the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) manages the backbone of statewide behavioral health infrastructure. Through multiple divisions, BHS develops policy, monitors county programs, licenses treatment facilities, and administers federal and state grants that support mental health and substance use services under Medi-Cal.

This page outlines how DHCS integrates care and accountability through its behavioral health transformation efforts—including CalAIM, the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS), and new services, including the 988 crisis response and the CARE Act.

Whether you’re a policymaker, provider, advocate, or California resident interested in how public behavioral and mental health systems operate, this page is your guide to the programs shaping care delivery across the state.

BHS Divisions and Responsibilities

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health – Policy Division (MCBH-PD)

MCBH-PD leads the development of behavioral health policy and administers Medi-Cal programs including:

  • Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS)
  • Drug Medi-Cal (DMC)
  • Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS)

This division is also responsible for:

  • CalAIM Behavioral Health Transformation (including No Wrong Door, Documentation Redesign, Peer Support Services)
  • 988 Crisis Services
  • Mobile Crisis Services Benefit
  • CARE Act Implementation
  • BH-CONNECT Demonstration
  • Family First Prevention Services Act
  • Recovery Incentives Program
  • Screening and Transition of Care Tools

Branches:

Behavioral Health Oversight and Monitoring Division (BHOMD)

BHOMD ensures county compliance with federal and state rules for Medi-Cal behavioral health programs. This includes:

  • Monitoring county Behavioral Health Plans and network adequacy
  • Overseeing the Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) and Substance Use Block Grant (SUBG)
  • Evaluating quality and performance in SMHS and DMC-ODS programs

Branches:

Additional Resources:

Licensing and Certification Division (LCD)

LCD regulates and certifies facilities and providers that deliver behavioral health services, including:

  • Driving-Under-the-Influence Programs (DUI)
  • Narcotic Treatment Programs (NTPs)
  • Outpatient and Residential SUD Providers
  • Mental Health Rehabilitation Centers
  • Psychiatric Health Facilities
  • Oversight of 72-hour holds under the Lanterman-Petris-Short (5150) Act

It also investigates complaints related to:

  • Certified Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) counselors
  • Designated 5150 facilities and incidents under the Children’s Civil Commitment Act

Community Services Division (CSD)

CSD focuses on funding, oversight, and policy for community-based behavioral health services, including:

  • Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)
  • Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP)
  • Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH)
  • California MAT Expansion Project
  • Administration of grants from SAMHSA, including:
    • State Opioid Response (SOR)
    • MHBG and SUBG
    • PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness)
  • Opioid Settlement Oversight for local governments
  • Proposition 64 youth substance use prevention

Branches:

Final Note

California’s Behavioral Health Services infrastructure is undergoing a powerful transformation—one grounded in accountability, equity, and access to care. Whether through new court pathways, crisis response systems, or infrastructure grants, DHCS and its partners are reshaping behavioral health for the future.