AB 2138: Medi-Cal: enhanced care management: peer support specialists.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is in part governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions.

Existing law requires the department to implement an enhanced care management (ECM) benefit designed to address the clinical and nonclinical needs on a whole-person-care basis for certain target populations of Medi-Cal beneficiaries enrolled in Medi-Cal managed care plans. Under existing law, target populations include, among others, high utilizers with frequent hospital admissions, short-term skilled nursing facility stays, or emergency room visits, and individuals experiencing homelessness.

Existing law authorizes a county, or an agency representing a county, to develop a peer support specialist certification program, subject to departmental approval. Under existing law, these specialists are individuals, at least 18 years of age, who self-identify as having lived experience with the process of recovery from mental illness, substance use disorder, or both, as specified. Existing law requires the department to seek any federal waivers that it deems necessary to establish a demonstration or pilot project for the provision of peer support services in counties that agree to participate.

This bill would require the department to require, as a condition of providing ECM, that any ECM provider, whose caseload of members meets certain criteria, maintain an interdisciplinary care team that includes at least one peer support specialist or trainee, as defined, who is integrated into ECM service delivery and available to support ECM members. The bill would set forth the functions of a peer support specialist or trainee for ECM purposes.

The bill would require the department to allow an ECM provider to satisfy the requirement through any combination of staffing models, as specified. The bill would require the department to ensure that Medi-Cal managed care plan contracts, policies, and guidance reflect the requirement and to establish monitoring and compliance mechanisms to ensure that ECM providers implement the requirement. The bill would require the department to recognize virtual, telephonic, and technology-enabled peer support service delivery as meeting the integration requirement. Under the bill, an ECM provider subject to these provisions would have until January 1, 2028, to achieve full compliance, as specified.

The bill would prohibit the department, a county, a Medi-Cal managed care plan, or a Medi-Cal provider, as applicable, from disqualifying a peer support specialist solely or primarily on the basis of a criminal background check, fingerprint-based background check, or similar screening that is a condition of employment, contracting, certification, credentialing, enrollment, or participation in providing peer support services.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. May 14, 2026In committee: Held under submission.
2. May 14, 2026Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 5030.)
3. May 13, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
4. April 28, 2026Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
5. April 27, 2026Read second time and amended.
6. April 23, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 1.) (April 21).
7. March 25, 2026Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
8. March 24, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.
9. March 2, 2026Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
10. February 19, 2026From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
11. February 18, 2026Read first time. To print.