At the recent Integrated Care Conference, hosted by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), policy leaders, providers, and advocates came together to explore how California can continue transforming its behavioral health system. Amidst three days of keynotes and breakout sessions, a central theme emerged: comprehensive care teams are essential to making person-centered substance use disorder (SUD) treatment a reality.

Traditional care models, centered only on treatment, often fall short for people with SUDs. A more effective approach relies on broad, coordinated teams — clinicians working alongside peers and professionals who link clinical care with social supports and community resources.

By expanding and reimagining the care team, the Medi-Cal program and its providers have found new ways to make recovery possible for more Californians. We came away from the DHCS conference inspired by several innovative care models — here are a few highlights.

New Roles for Occupational Therapists in SUD Care

In 2024, DHCS expanded the provider types eligible to deliver behavioral health services under Medi-Cal to include licensed occupational therapists. In California’s Drug Medi-Cal program, occupational therapists complement clinical treatment by helping clients rebuild routines, manage daily challenges, and find purpose through work or creative pursuits. Their support includes:

Daily living skills: restoring routines disrupted by substance use.
Health and wellness: teaching coping strategies, sleep hygiene, and physical activity to lower relapse risk.
Vocational support: preparing clients for employment, education, or other meaningful goals.

Emergency Department Navigators as a Bridge to Services

Hospital emergency departments are often the first point of contact for people with SUD, and the CA Bridge Program is leveraging that critical touchpoint to connect them to treatment via substance use navigators. Through these navigators, individuals receive immediate access to medications for addiction treatment (MAT), support in advocating for their needs, and connection to ongoing SUD services.

A recent UCLA study found that between July 2022 and December 2023, hospitals in the CA Bridge Program reported 165,671 navigator encounters and 44,996 instances of buprenorphine treatment — demonstrating that substance use navigators in emergency departments offer a low-barrier way to expand access to SUD treatment.

The Unique Value of Peers

Peers are a vital part of SUD treatment, offering firsthand understanding, authenticity, and a sense of community. Their lived experience helps to build trust, guide people through complex systems, and connect with underserved populations. Both individuals receiving support and peer workers benefit from the engagements, fostering skill development, confidence, and financial stability through meaningful employment.

Peers play a range of roles in California’s SUD delivery system. Here are two examples that were featured at the conference:

Building the Justice-Involved Peer Workforce
Many potential peer support workers have previous involvement in the justice system and encounter barriers to hiring and employment. California’s Lake County presented work they are doing to ensure that their hiring practices look beyond the results of a background check to evaluate the strengths, experiences, and readiness each applicant brings to a position. This carries over into supportive practices once someone is hired to ensure they are successful in their role through mentoring, skill-building, and pathways for career growth.
Combining Housing and SUD Support Through Peer Respite
By integrating rapid access to housing with peer support, the peer respite model is emerging as a promising solution to more effectively address co-occurring SUD and housing needs. SHARE! Collaborative Housing in Los Angeles presented their model of delivering immediate, low-barrier housing for people facing homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges. Residents can move in within 24 hours and join support groups that build community connections and economic stability. Outcomes show only 4% of residents return to homelessness (versus 22% in traditional supportive housing), and 57% secure employment.

Continue the Conversation

Strengthening the behavioral health system requires ongoing commitment to inclusive teams and flexible models that meet people where they are. California is advancing these priorities through innovative policies, but lasting impact will require sustained investment and leadership across systems to put these models into action.

If you’d like to learn more about how Aurrera Health Group can support your organization in leveraging policy reforms to improve SUD care, please reach out to Allison Homewood.