California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI)

Since the pandemic, students’ needs for mental and emotional health support have increased sharply. 

During the pandemic, both the state and federal governments provided temporary funding to meet the increased need, and Alhambra Unified used that funding to implement programs for students in grades TK-12.

That funding was temporary "one-time funding". CYBHI will help us maintain school-based mental health services in the face of funding cuts that districts are experiencing.

The California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) requires health insurers to reimburse school districts for some of the mental and emotional supports they provide for students, including:

• Social-emotional lessons in the classroom
• Behavioral health screenings
• Substance use screening and counseling
• Individual and group counseling for topics such as friendship/social skills, executive functioning, anxiety, grief, etc.

This program is a first-of-its-kind effort to make it easier for students and families to get the outpatient mental health care that they need and districts to get the funding they need to continue to provide these mental health services.  

The CYBHI program prohibits health plans and insurers from passing any of the costs of these services to families. It provides other protections for families, as our reimbursement request will not affect your insurance coverage (i.e., you will not pay co-pays or deductibles). Receiving services at school will not reduce or impact students’ or their family's ability to obtain care outside of school.

The program will enable us to continue providing mental and emotional health services to our students. Here’s how it will works:

• AUSD will ask for your student's health insurance information so that we can submit reimbursement requests for eligible services we provide. We will keep this information secure and confidential, as required by state and federal laws.
• The request will come in the Winter of 2025. After that, the request for health insurance information will be a regular part of the re-enrollment process for the following school year.
• After providing behavioral health services or support to a student, AUSD will submit a reimbursement request.
• This reimbursement will come to the district directly from the insurance companies, at no cost to parents/guardians.  (Remember, state law prohibits passing the costs on to families.)
• Funding will be utilized to maintain and expand behavioral health services for our students. 
• Research shows that the benefits of behavioral health include 
• improved mental and emotional well-being
• enhanced coping skills for stress and difficult situations
• better interpersonal relationships
• reduction in the severity of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety
• improved physical health outcomes
• a greater sense of purpose
• more effective problem-solving abilities, and a higher quality of life

Reinforcing the district’s goals of providing equitable education, safe and healthy learning environments, and preparing students for lifelong wellness and success. 

Will the CYBHI Fee Schedule change the services my student receives? 

No, the CYBHI Fee Schedule will not change the current behavioral health services your child receives. Instead, it changes the way that school districts pay for the provision of behavioral health services. In the near future, the Alhambra Unified School District will move to expanding its behavioral health services offerings.

Services that are eligible for reimbursement include behavioral health screenings, assessments, and ongoing mental health support. Students can continue to receive other types of services even if they are not eligible for reimbursement.

Will the Fee Schedule change the special education services my child receives?

No. Your student will continue to receive the services specified in their IEP. The Fee Schedule only affects the funding for mental and socio-emotional services for students.

 

Are you collecting insurance information from all families?

Yes. Districts participating in the CYBHI program are required to collect health insurance (or Medi-Cal information) from all families regardless of whether they receive services or not. 

 

I don't want to participate in this program. How do I opt out?

Some services -- such as socio-emotional education -- may take place during class time. Those lessons do not require parent permission. 

 

Individual and group counseling do require your consent, and we will contact you about this before providing these services to your child.

 

Please note, however, that minors aged 12 and above are able to consent to certain services without their parents' permission.

 

Will the CYBHI Fee Schedule Affect Our Health Insurance?

The CYBHI Fee Schedule will not affect your health insurance.

California Welfare & Institutions Code section 5961.4 and California Health & Safety Code Section 1374.722 (b)(6) prohibit insurance companies from requiring co-payments for CYBHI services or changing a family's insurance based on its use of them.

My family does not have health insurance. Can my child still receive services?

Yes, your child can receive mental health services at our sites even if your family does not have health insurance. 

 

Please indicate that you don't have health insurance on the CYBHI form. (There is an option for that.)  That will help us keep track of our billing.