5863. (Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 847, Sec. 98.)

(a) Methods and protocols for the county mental health department to identify and screen the eligible target population children. These protocols shall be developed with collaborative partners and shall ensure that eligible children can be referred from all collaborating agencies.

(b) Measurable system performance goals for client outcome and cost avoidance. Outcomes shall be made available to collaborating partners and used for program improvement.

(c) Methods to achieve interagency collaboration by all publicly funded agencies serving children experiencing emotional disturbances.

(d) Appropriate written interagency protocols and agreements with all other programs in the county that serve similar populations of children. Agreements shall exist with wrap-around programs (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18250) of Part 6 of Division 9), Family Preservation programs (Part 4.4 (commencing with Section 16600) of Division 9), Juvenile Crime Enforcement and Accountability Challenge Grant programs (Article 18.7 (commencing with Section 749.2) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 1), programs serving children with a dual diagnosis including substance use disorder or whose emotional disturbance is related to family substance use, misuse, or disorders, and programs serving families enrolled in CalWORKs (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200.5) of Part 3 of Division 9).

(f) Mental health services that enable a child to remain in their usual family setting and that offer an appropriate alternative to out-of-home placement.

(g) Methods to conduct joint interagency placement screening of target population children prior to out-of-home placement.

(h) Identification of the number and level of county evaluation staff and the resources necessary to meet requirements established by the State Department of Health Care Services to measure client and cost outcome and other system performance measures.

(i) A budget specifying all new and currently funded mental health expenditures provided as part of the proposed system of care. The department shall establish reporting requirements for direct and indirect administrative overhead, to be included in the request for proposals. Weight shall be given to counties with lower administrative overhead costs. Administrative costs shall not exceed those of existing county mental health programs and services. Expenditures for evaluation staff and resources shall not be considered administrative costs for this purpose.

(j) Any requirements for interagency collaboration, agreements, or protocols contained in this section shall not diminish requirements for the confidentiality of medical information or information maintained by a county agency or department.