Section 5961.
Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5961.
in effect(a)
This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative Act.
(b)
The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative shall be administered by the California Health and Human Services Agency and its departments, as applicable.
(c)
The initiative is intended to transform California’s behavioral health system into an innovative ecosystem in which all children and youth 25 years of age and younger, regardless of payer, are screened, supported, and served for emerging and existing behavioral health needs.
(d)
Subject to an appropriation by the Legislature for this
purpose, the initiative shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following components:
(1)
A behavioral health services and supports virtual platform, as described in Section 5961.1.
(2)
School-linked partnership, capacity, and infrastructure grants to qualified entities to support implementation of the initiative for behavioral health services in schools and school-linked settings, as described in Section 5961.2.
(3)
Incentive payments to qualifying Medi-Cal managed care plans to implement interventions that increase access to preventive, early intervention, and behavioral health services by school-affiliated behavioral health providers for children in publicly funded childcare and preschool and TK-12 children in public schools, as described in Section 5961.3.
(4)
Development and maintenance of a statewide fee schedule for school-linked outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment, as described in Section 5961.4.
(5)
Development and expansion of evidence-based behavioral health programs, as described in Section 5961.5.
(6)
Funding targeted to qualified entities serving individuals 25 years of age and younger through the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program, as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 5960).
(7)
A comprehensive, and culturally and linguistically proficient, public education and social change campaign in support of the initiative.
(8)
Investments for behavioral health workforce, education, and
training to foster broad behavioral health capacity in support of the initiative, including a multiyear plan to launch and implement a statewide school behavioral health counselor system pursuant to Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 127825) of Part 3 of Division 107 of the Health and Safety Code.
(9)
Funding targeted to qualified entities serving individuals 25 years of age and younger through the Mental Health Student Services Act, as described in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5886) of Part 4.
(e)
Each component of the initiative shall be implemented only if, and to the extent that, the State Department of Health Care Services determines that federal financial participation under the Medi-Cal program is not jeopardized.
(f)
For purposes of implementing this chapter, the California Health and Human Services
Agency, the State Department of Health Care Services, and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development may enter into exclusive or nonexclusive contracts, or amend existing contracts, on a bid or negotiated basis. Contracts entered into or amended pursuant to this chapter shall be exempt from Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 14825) of Part 5.5 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, Section 19130 of the Government Code, Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, and the State Administrative Manual, and shall be exempt from the review or approval of any division of the Department of General Services.
(g)
Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the State Department of Health Care Services and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development may implement, interpret, or make specific this chapter, in
whole or in part, by means of plan letters, information notices, provider bulletins, or other similar instructions, without taking any further regulatory action.
(h)
The Legislature finds and declares that this chapter is a state law within the meaning of Section 1621(d) of Title 8 of the United States Code.
References
referencesCal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 127825.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 14825.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 19130.
referencesCal. Public Contract Code - PCC § 10100.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 11340.
referencesCal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5961.1.
referencesCal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5961.2.
referencesCal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5961.3.
referencesCal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5961.4.
referencesCal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5961.5.
referencesCal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5960.
referencesCal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 5886.
referencesCal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 1621.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026