BHSA Early Intervention

The BHSA streamlines funding categories to emphasize treatment and recovery across the continuum of care. Under this new framework, Prevention is no longer a funding category. Instead, Early Intervention (EI) serves as the primary approach for addressing emerging behavioral health needs before they escalate into more serious conditions. EI funding supports timely, culturally responsive, community-based services that reduce symptom severity, promote recovery, and help individuals and families achieve wellness and stability. EI does not include population-based prevention. Promotion, Universal Prevention, and Selective Prevention are not allowable or billable under BHSA EI. This RFP aligns with the State's Behavioral Health Transformation (BHT) Priority Goals established by DHCS, which focus on improving access to care, reducing homelessness among people with behavioral health needs, decreasing reliance on crisis or institutional care, reducing justice involvement, preventing removals of children from home, and ensuring fewer adults with serious psychological distress go without treatment. Early Intervention investments funded through this RFP are intended to advance these statewide goals by increasing timely access to services, reducing untreated behavioral health conditions, and addressing the behavioral-health factors that contribute to homelessness, institutionalization, justice involvement, and family disruption. The RFP is grounded in community health priorities identified in the 2023 Napa County Community Health Assessment (CHA) and the 2024 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) published by Napa County HHSA. These priorities: Behavioral Health, Housing, Access to Health Services, Racial Equity and LGBTQ+ Inclusion, and Economic Stability, guide the structure and goals of this funding opportunity. Specifically, the Behavioral Health priority is the sole focus of this RFP and CHIP objectives focus on increasing mental well-being among Latine, BIPOC, underserved/unserved, and low-income families, youth, adults, and older adults through culturally competent approaches that support mental, physical, financial, and social well-being. Additional objectives include identifying and amplifying non-traditional methods of mental wellness support that address community needs and reduce stigma around accessing services. Finally, this initiative seeks to enhance access to mental health services, particularly bilingual and bicultural services, for children and their families, youth, adults, and older adults throughout Napa County. Per the BHSA Policy Manual, 51% of the funding allocated for Early Intervention programs must be used to serve individuals 25 years of age and younger. Together, these alignments ensure that Early Intervention funding supports Napa County and the state's shared priorities for equitable, community-wide well-being. Funding Expectations Under BHSA BHSA funding is more specifically defined in its uses than Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding, and it must be used only for eligible service activities not reimbursable by Medi-Cal claiming. Per state rules, BHSA is reserved for services that are not eligible for Medi-Cal, Managed Care Plan services, or other state or federal reimbursement. We expect our contracted partners to leverage all available funding sources and must avoid double billing. If Medi-Cal can pay for a service, Medi-Cal must pay for it first. This includes services funded by Managed Care Plans under programs like ECM and Community Supports and for new provider types such as Community Health Workers, Certified Wellness Coaches, and Peer Support Specialists. Contracted providers who provide services that are claimable to Medi-Cal will be required to apply for Medi-Cal certification through Napa County HHSA - Behavioral Health or contract with Managed Care Plans as appropriate. Some contracted Early Intervention services funded through this RFP will not be eligible for Medi-Cal reimbursement. These non-reimbursable, gap-filling interventions are precisely what BHSA EI funding is designed to support. Applications submitted pursuant to this RFP must address and explain braided funding and how services are first being billed to Medi-Cal and to what extent, and how this funding is part of the overall braiding. Alternatively, if services are not being billed to Medi-Cal, an explanation why they are non-reimbursable under CalAIM and the expanded reach of Medi-Cal services and provider types must be provided. Submissions that do not adequately address this issue will not be funded.