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Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI)

new resource to support student mental health

new resource to support student mental health

New resource for student mental health: A closer look at the CYBHI
 
The Sierra Unified School District is participating in the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), a new statewide program designed to enhance the mental and behavioral health support we provide for your children. This is not just a temporary program, but a historic, long-term investment by the State of California to transform the way mental health care is delivered to our youth.
 
What is the CYBHI and how does it benefit our students?
 
The CYBHI is part of the larger Master Plan for Kids' Mental Health. It's a collaborative effort across multiple state departments to create a "whole child" approach to wellness, and a core function is to create a sustainable funding stream for school-based services. 
 
  • Expanded access to care: The CYBHI allows our district to receive reimbursement from insurance companies for eligible services already provided on campus. This allows us to expand our mental and behavioral health support, reaching more students where they spend most of their time.
 
  • A wider range of services: Reimbursement through the CYBHI isn't just for therapy. It also covers valuable services like:
    • Screenings and assessments: Early identification of mental health or substance use issues, allowing for proactive support.
    • Therapy and counseling: One-on-one or group sessions with qualified professionals.
    • Psychoeducation: Educational sessions for both students and families to help understand mental health conditions and coping strategies.
    • Care coordination and case management: Connecting students to additional resources and ongoing support, both inside and outside of school.
 
  • A new funding model: This initiative establishes a multi-payer, statewide fee schedule for school-linked services. By standardizing how schools are reimbursed, it removes many administrative and financial barriers that previously prevented schools from being paid for these critical services.
 
What does this mean for your family?
 
  • No cost to you: Services delivered under the CYBHI are completely free to you. California state law explicitly prohibits health plans and insurers from charging families for these school-based services. This means no co-payments, no deductibles, and no out-of-pocket expenses for services covered under the CYBHI Fee Schedule.
 
  • No impact on your current insurance: Your family's insurance coverage will not be affected. Receiving services at school will not reduce or impact your or your child's ability to obtain care from other providers outside of school. The CYBHI simply creates a new way for schools to be compensated for providing services on campus, expanding options for students.
 
  • Requesting your insurance information: To receive reimbursement, our school will need to submit a claim to your child’s health insurance company. For this purpose, we may ask you for your child's health insurance information.
 
  • Protecting your privacy: The privacy of your child’s health information is protected by federal and state laws. Any information collected will be securely stored and only used for billing purposes or as otherwise legally permitted. We will not share this information with outside entities except as necessary to process claims and receive reimbursement.
 
How you can help?
 
With your participation, Sierra Unified can secure the funding needed to strengthen and expand our campus-based behavioral health services. By providing your student's health insurance information and any necessary consent, you help ensure that all our students can access the support they need to thrive, at no cost to your family.
 
 
pRIVACY AND CONSENT

pRIVACY AND CONSENT

Privacy and Consent: How is my child’s information protected?
 
Your child’s privacy is our top priority. All personal information, including health insurance details, is kept strictly confidential and is protected by federal laws that govern student and health records.
 
  • Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): This federal law protects the privacy of student educational records. It requires that schools obtain written consent from parents (or the eligible student) before disclosing personally identifiable information from these records, with limited exceptions.
 
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): While FERPA primarily governs records held by schools, HIPAA provides further privacy and security protections for specific health information that may be transmitted electronically for billing purposes.
 
Who will have access to my child's information?
 
Your child’s health insurance information will only be shared with outside entities as necessary for billing and reimbursement of mental health services. For example, it may be shared with Medi-Cal or other insurance providers to process claims. This is a critical step that allows us to secure funding for these important services.
 
Any disclosure is strictly limited to what is permitted under federal and state law, such as reporting requirements to the California Department of Health Care Services.
 
Where can I find additional information?
 
To learn more about the CYBHI and access resources, please click the linkS below: