(a) (1) On or before June 30, 2022, the State Department of Education shall establish a process to select, with approval from the executive director of the state board, a local educational agency to provide guidance around Medi-Cal billing and increase local educational agencies’ capacity to successfully submit claims through the Local Educational Agency Medi-Cal Billing Option Program. The local educational agency selected shall have demonstrated success in submitting claims through the Local Educational Agency Medi-Cal Billing Option Program and drawing down federal reimbursement for Medi-Cal services, and a willingness and capacity to perform the duties described in paragraph (2). The State Department of Health Care Services shall provide relevant data, including, but not limited to, the number of years participating in the program and cost reimbursement data for each local educational agency, in the form and manner requested by the State Department of Education and the executive director of the state board no later than August 31, 2021, to aid in the selection process. The State Department of Health Care Services shall assist the State Department of Education, as needed, with the selection process, including verifying information provided by local educational agencies regarding program participation during the selection process.

(2) The local educational agency selected pursuant to paragraph (1) shall do all of the following:

(A) Provide effective assistance and support to local educational agencies in securing federal reimbursement for services provided to Medi-Cal eligible pupils.

(B) Work in coordination and collaboration with expert lead agencies identified pursuant to Section 52073.1, special education resource leads identified pursuant to Section 52073.2, the State Department of Education, and the State Department of Health Care Services.

(C) Identify and disseminate information regarding existing resources, professional development activities, and other efforts currently available to assist local educational agencies in successfully submitting claims through the Local Educational Agency Medi-Cal Billing Option Program and drawing down federal reimbursement for Medi-Cal services.

(D) Upon request by the State Department of Education and the State Department of Health Care Services, develop new resources and activities designed to build capacity for local educational agencies to secure federal reimbursement for services provided to Medi-Cal eligible pupils.

(E) Serve as a point of contact for local educational agencies, and regularly participate and share the perspectives of local educational agencies in the Local Educational Agency Program Advisory Workgroup convened by the State Department of Health Care Services.

(F) Other duties, as prescribed by the State Department of Education, to enhance Medi-Cal services on schoolsites, increase access of care for pupils, and increase Medi-Cal reimbursement for local educational agencies.

(3) A local educational agency may partner as a consortium with other local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, nonprofit educational services providers, county mental health providers, or other local partners to submit a proposal to the State Department of Education to be considered for selection as the local educational agency pursuant to paragraph (1).

(b) (1) The term of a local educational agency selected pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not exceed five years.

(2) The selected local educational agency shall commit to providing program data to the State Department of Education, as specified by the Superintendent, to evaluate the effectiveness of the activities performed under paragraph (2) of subdivision (a).

(3) At the conclusion of the term of the selected local educational agency, the State Department of Education, with approval from the executive director of the state board, may renew the term of the selected local educational agency or select a new local educational agency in a manner consistent with subdivision (a).

(4) If a selected local educational agency requests that its term be renewed, it shall provide a description of the efforts it has made to carry out the duties described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), and before renewing the term, the State Department of Education shall evaluate the local educational agency’s success in carrying out those duties.

(c) Notwithstanding § 13340 of the Government Code, commencing with the 2021-22 fiscal year, each fiscal year the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be appropriated from the General Fund to the State Department of Education to be awarded to the local educational agency selected pursuant to this section.

(d) (1) For purposes of making the computations required by § 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution, the appropriation made by subdivision (c) shall be deemed to be “General Fund revenues appropriated for school districts,” as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 41202, for the fiscal year in which they are appropriated, and included within the “total allocations to school districts and community college districts from General Fund proceeds of taxes appropriated pursuant to XIII B,” as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 41202, for the fiscal year in which they are appropriated.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the appropriation made by subdivision (c) for the 2021-22 fiscal year shall be deemed to be “General Fund revenues appropriated for school districts,” as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 41202, for the 2022-23 fiscal year, and included within the “total allocations to school districts and community college districts from General Fund proceeds of taxes appropriated pursuant to XIII B,” as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 41202, for the 2022-23 fiscal year.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 48, Sec. 56. (SB 114) Effective July 10, 2023.)