32447.
(a) The department shall, no later than July 1, 2018, establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of administering current health-related programs under the purview of the department, advising on issues related to the delivery of school-based Medi-Cal services in the state, developing recommendations for an interagency agreement or memorandum of understanding between the Department of Health Care Services and the department, and assisting the Department of Health Care Services in formulating the Medi-Cal state plan amendments required by subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 14115.8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The scope of the office shall include, but not be limited to, improving the operation
of, and participation in, the following school-based health programs:(1) The Administrative Claiming process described in Section 14132.47 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(2) The local educational agency (LEA) Medi-Cal billing option described in Section 14132.06 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(b) (1) The office shall, no later than January 1, 2019, provide input to the department on the development of of, and, if applicable, continuing operations of
of, the interagency agreement or memorandum of understanding described in subdivision (a). The recommendations of the office shall identify opportunities for effective coordination between the state’s health and education systems at the state, regional, and local level, levels, identify ways the department can maximize its school-based Medicaid program expertise, recommend an appeals process for the Administrative Claiming program process and the LEA Medi-Cal billing option, and identify necessary legislation or state plan
amendments to support its recommendations.
(2) The office shall advise the department on creating consistency across local educational consortia (LECs), local governmental agencies (LGAs), and the department with respect to contracts and processes for the Administrative Claiming process described in Section 14132.47 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(3) The office shall determine the opportunities for, and the benefits, costs, and feasibility of the following:
(A) Increasing LEA participation and maximizing allowable federal financial participation in the Administrative Claiming process and the LEA Medi-Cal billing option.
(B) Increasing
contracting options for LEAs participating in the Administrative Claiming process, such as allowing an LEA to contract with an LEC or LGA outside of the LEA's region.
(C) Reducing the number of quarterly random moment time surveys.
(D) Identifying areas that may require a state plan amendment.
(E) Integrating and expanding other school-based health and mental health programs with the Administrative Claiming process and the LEA Medi-Cal billing option, including, but not limited to, those being implemented in accordance with the LEA’s local control and accountability plan described in Section 52060.
option.
(c) (1) The office may develop a workgroup to assist its efforts that shall be representative of the diversity of California LEAs with respect to size, type, and geographic diversity and shall include representatives from county offices of education, urban, suburban, and rural LEAs, and LECs and LGAs described in Section 14132.47 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The workgroup shall also include representatives of the LEA Ad Hoc Workgroup described in Section 14132.06 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, members with expertise in school-based health and mental health programs, representatives from the LEC Advisory Committee, and representatives of the Local Governmental Agency Consortium.
(2) The
workgroup described in paragraph (1) shall, on a regular basis, provide input to the office on the degree to which the process and implementation of the Administrative Claiming process described in Section 14132.47 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and the LEA Medi-Cal billing option described in Section 14132.06 of the Welfare and Institutions Code are meeting the needs of LEAs with respect to cost-effectiveness, program structure, and operational effectiveness, including the process of appeals and balancing withheld funds and actual expenses.
(d) The office may form technical advisory groups as necessary that shall report back to the office on the development of plans and timelines to implement the changes and expanded options described in this section.
(e) The department
shall make available to the office any information on other school-based dental, health, and mental health programs, including, but not limited to, the mental health programs described in Section 14700 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and school-based health centers that may receive Medi-Cal funding.