Introducing the MCP-Hub Toolkit: Supporting Stronger Partnerships in Medi-Cal

The Role of Community Hubs in Delivering HRSN Services

Community hubs are playing an increasingly important role in how Medi-Cal delivers services that address health-related social needs (HRSNs). Hubs typically serve as intermediaries between Medi-Cal managed care plans (MCPs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) and other providers delivering HRSN services. By centralizing administrative and operational functions, hubs can help streamline MCP operations, expand provider networks, and support more coordinated delivery of Medi-Cal benefits.

As hubs have emerged and evolved, MCPs and providers have raised common questions: What role can hubs play? What responsibilities do they assume? And what rules apply when MCPs partner with them?

In December 2025, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) released The MCP-Hub Toolkit: A Resource for MCPs and CalAIM Providers, a new resource designed to help answer those questions. The Toolkit is designed to support effective and compliant partnerships between MCPs and hubs by clarifying expectations, requirements, and roles.

The Toolkit was developed by Aurrera Health Group in partnership with DHCS, with support from the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF). This work builds on Exploring Emerging Medi-Cal Community Hubs 2024, which identified a growing need for a shared understanding of the value and role of hubs and what is required to establish compliant and effective partnerships.

How the Toolkit Can Support MCP and Hub Partnerships

The MCP-Hub Toolkit compiles existing state and federal guidance that applies to MCP–hub partnerships. While it does not create new policy, it clearly outlines the requirements MCPs and hubs must consider when establishing and maintaining compliant relationships. By consolidating this guidance in one place, the Toolkit helps MCPs and community organizations to jumpstart partnerships and ensures all parties share a common understanding of expectations and responsibilities.

What’s Next

In the coming months, Aurrera Health Group, with continued support from CHCF, will work with DHCS to provide technical assistance to MCPs and hubs as they apply the Toolkit in practice. This support will help organizations navigate requirements and strengthen partnerships to advance the delivery of Medi-Cal services that address HRSNs.

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Authors

Lucy Pagel [Director]