Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative

This program will not impact students' access to behavioral health services. Rather, the program is creating a new, sustainable method for providers to be reimbursed.  Services delivered to students covered by Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans and Medi-Cal Fee For Service, most commercial health plans, or disability insurers, with certain exceptions, are eligible to be reimbursed at the CYBHI fee schedule rate.

There will be no cost to parents or caregivers for students who receive services eligible for reimbursement under the CYBHI fee schedule program (i.e., no co-pays).  Receiving services at school will not reduce or impact students or their family's ability to obtain care outside of school, and will not impact deductibles or out of pocket minimums. 

You will not be billed.

You will never be charged a co-pay or deductible.

Your coverage will not be affected.

Our school will need to gather students' health insurance information so that it can claim reimbursement for eligible services under the CYBHI fee schedule. All health information will be securely stored and only shared in alignment with existing federal and state laws.

Your privacy is protected. Your insurance information will only be used to help the school receive payment for services. You and your child have legal rights to confidentiality and protection under both California and federal law.

Under the CYBHI Fee Schedule program, California’s health plans and insurers are now required to reimburse public schools (including K-12 school districts, colleges, and universities) for covered mental health services provided to students under the age of 26. State law prohibits health plans and insurers from passing any of the cost of these services on to families. This means that the health plans and insurers will pay for mental health services provided to your child in a school-linked setting and there WILL NOT be any out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., co-payments, deductibles) for you and your family regardless of whether you have Medi-Cal, commercial health care, or disability insurance.

Agencies can express interest in partnering with OUSD by completing the CYBHI Interest Form. Partners will have the option to select a pathway; embedded or affiliate.

For embedded partners, Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) contract and fund Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to provide mental health services to students. LEAs take the lead role on collecting student health insurance information and billing consent. Embedded partners utilize the LEAs Electronic Health Record System (EHR).

For affiliated partners, CBOs are contracted with an LEA to provide mental health services to students. The collection of student health insurance information and billing consents are the responsibility of the affiliate partner. Affiliate partners utilize their own EHR. There may be circumstances (such as the CBO using an LEA’s billing and documentation system) where student insurance information is already collected by the LEA.

OUSD CYBHI Fee Schedule Onboarding Checklist/Readiness Form for Affiliated Providers

CYBHI is a statewide initiative aimed at improving behavioral health services for children and youth in California. It focuses on enhancing access to mental health resources, support systems, and community services.

CYBHI services are designed for children and youth aged 0-25 years, including those who may be experiencing mental health challenges or require support for emotional well-being.

Services include mental health assessments, therapy, crisis intervention, and access to community resources. The initiative also emphasizes preventive measures and early intervention.

Families can access services through their local school district or community health providers. OUSD has specific protocols for referrals and service connections. Families are encouraged to complete a consent form and provide insurance information for services to begin. 

The CYBHI program prohibits health plans and insurers from passing any of the costs of these services to families. This means that there WILL NOT be any out-of-pocket expenses (e.g. co-pays, deductibles) for you or your family; additionally, the CYBHI Fee Schedule will not affect your health insurance.

Our school will need to gather students' health insurance information so that it can claim reimbursement for eligible services under the CYBHI fee schedule. This health information will be used to verify insurance coverage, enabling OUSD or our contracted mental health providers to submit claims under CYBHI.  All information will be securely stored and only shared in alignment with existing federal and state privacy laws.

Services required through an IEP are not reimbursable through the CYBHI fee schedule.  However, this program may provide reimbursement for behavioral or mental health services that students receive outside of their IEP.

CYBHI collaborates with local mental health agencies, healthcare providers, and educational institutions to ensure that services are evidence-based, effective, and tailored to meet the needs of youth and families.

We are excited to share that we’ve partnered with Care Solace. They have developed an electronic health record (EHR) platform specifically designed to support the CYBHI initiative. This system simplifies the process of documenting school-based support services in languages our staff and families will understand, enhances collaboration among staff to provide students with comprehensive support, and seamlessly converts interventions into billable claims so our district can continue to enhance the system of care for our students and families. 

Care Solace will help us link our students, families and staff to community-based resources and services while supporting the data collection needed to improve access to quality support services in our community.

Families are not required to provide insurance information. The information that you provide to your child’s school, including health insurance information, is completely confidential. You and your child are entitled to privacy, confidentiality, and protections under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

All health information will be securely stored and only shared in alignment with existing federal and state laws.

However, providing insurance details helps our providers access additional funding, which allows us to expand and sustain mental health services for students. A student’s ability to receive services is not affected by immigration status, and confidentiality is protected for every student and family.

If you have questions or would like assistance entering your insurance information, please contact us. We are here to help.