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

The bill requires Medi-Cal providers to maintain an interdisciplinary care team that includes at least one peer support specialist as a condition of providing enhanced care management (ECM) services. A peer support specialist is an individual with lived experience of recovery from mental illness or substance use disorder who is integrated into ECM service delivery. The specialist's functions include providing support, guidance, and advocacy to ECM members. The bill allows ECM providers to use various staffing models to satisfy the requirement, and it requires Medi-Cal managed care plans to reflect the requirement in their contracts and policies. The bill prohibits disqualifying peer support specialists solely or primarily based on a criminal background check, except in cases where the background check is a condition of employment or contracting. The implementation of these provisions is…