Equity

A collaboration between the California Department of Public Health Office of Health Equity and the Department of Health Care Services’ (DHCS) Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Division, the Community Mental Health Equity Project (CMHEP) addresses strategies and interventions aimed at reducing disparities in access to health and behavioral health care. CalMHSA provides technical assistance, training and consultation, and participates in learning networks for the CMHEP.

These activities enable county behavioral health plans and DHCS to understand beneficiaries’ core needs and design behavioral health services that are data-driven, culturally responsive and trauma informed, and that include community-defined practices to reduce behavioral health disparities and ensure equitable care.

CalMHSA also:

• Helps counties identify, locate and interpret the data needed for their Cultural Competency Plans
• Creates tools, templates and other supports for counties to collect and analyze data
• Supports consumer and stakeholder outreach and engagement