14716.5.
(a) When a child or youth 21 years of age or younger who is receiving Medi-Cal specialty mental health services changes residence from one county to another, and the transfer of the child’s or youth’s specialty mental health services from one county to another is not otherwise governed by a process established in statute, the receiving county shall provide specialty mental health services to the child or youth.(b) The department shall collect data related to the receipt of specialty mental health services by children and youth who move outside of the county where they received specialty mental health services. These data shall be included in the department’s Medi-Cal specialty mental health services performance dashboard, in compliance with all applicable state and federal privacy and confidentiality laws, and shall contain all of the following statewide information:
(1) The number of children and youth receiving specialty mental health services who move outside the county where they originally received specialty mental health services.
(2) The number of children and youth receiving specialty mental health services after they move outside the county where they originally received specialty mental health services.
(3) The outcomes for children and youth receiving specialty mental health services who move across county lines.
(c) The department shall issue guidance that defines requirements placed on a receiving county for the continued provision of specialty mental health services, as required by subdivision (a), to coordinate and expedite the transfer of specialty mental health services from one county to another, and reduce the burden on children and youth and their caregivers to reestablish services in the receiving county. The guidance shall also include both of the following:
(1) A point of contact at the department, accessible to applicable children and youth and their caregivers, that is responsible for ensuring that counties meet the requirements of subdivision (a), including reaching out to counties to resolve any potential problems with the transfer of services.
(2) Standardized notification and information-sharing requirements for county mental health plans and specialty mental health services providers, to facilitate the continued provision of specialty mental health services by a receiving county, including streamlining any required prior authorization in order to continue services in the receiving county, pursuant to subdivision (a).
(d) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters, plan letters, plan or provider bulletins, or similar instructions, without taking any further regulatory action, until regulations are adopted.