DATE: June 2, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Susan Holt, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Non-Contracted Out-of-County Behavioral Health Services and
Psychiatric Inpatient Hospital Beds for Fresno County Medi-Cal
Beneficiaries
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Authorize the General Services Department Purchasing Manager, or designee (Director Department of Behavioral Health, Division Manager Crisis Care Continuum), to continue approving payment to behavioral health providers for services provided in other counties to Fresno County Medi-Cal beneficiaries without an agreement up to a maximum $200,000 per provider, the General Services Department Purchasing Manager's limit, as established by the Board, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029; and
2. Authorize the General Services Department Purchasing Manager, or designee (Director Department of Behavioral Health, Division Manager Crisis Care Continuum), to continue approving payment to psychiatric inpatient hospitals for services provided in other counties to Fresno County Medi-Cal beneficiaries without an agreement up to a maximum $200,000 per hospital, the General Services Department Purchasing Manager's limit, as established by the Board, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029.
REPORT
The Department of Behavioral Health, in its role as the County Behavioral Health Plan (BHP), is obligated to reimburse non-contracted behavioral health providers and psychiatric inpatient hospitals for services provided to County Medi-Cal beneficiaries in other counties, per Title 9, California Code of Regulations (Title 9). Approval of the first recommended action expedites payment to behavioral health service providers for a small number of County beneficiaries that received emergency and crisis services in other counties. Approval of the second recommended action will expedite payments to non-contracted psychiatric inpatient hospitals for beds serving a small number of County be...
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