In 2021, the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) Division of Plan Surveys began conducting behavioral health investigations to assess barriers and challenges physicians experience in providing behavioral health services. DMHC has been conducting an average of five behavioral health investigations per year, with the goal of identifying systemic changes that could be made to improve the delivery of behavioral health care.

The five health plans to be investigated in 2024 are:

• Chinese Community Health Plan
• Molina Healthcare of California
• UHC of California
• San Francisco Health Authority
• Aetna Health of California Inc.

DMHC notes that these investigations will not include the Medi-Cal managed care population.

DMHC is looking for physicians and other behavioral health providers willing to participate in interviews as a component of the investigations of the above-listed health plans. The interviews will help DMHC gain a comprehensive understanding of provider-specific barriers and challenges. Interviews conducted will likely be via phone or video conferencing.

DMHC is looking to interview both physicians who have elected not to contract with the above five health plans, as well as contracted providers who have experienced barriers and challenges providing behavioral health services to their patients within the past two years. If you wish to participate in these interviews, contact DMHC at ProviderBHI@dmhc.ca.gov or (279) 666-5858. 

More information about the behavioral health investigations is available on the DMHC website.