Healthy and Safe Communities

Summary of Objective Implementation Status

The state has addressed the need for data-sharing legislation by loosening California restrictions on data sharing through AB 133 which supports the CalAIM initiative.

Specifically, AB 133 establishes a process for developing a California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework, including the following components and milestones:

a) Stakeholder Advisory Group.  Requires CHHSA to convene a stakeholder advisory group no later than September 1, 2021, to advise on the development and implementation of the California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework.  The stakeholder group is composed of representatives from relevant state departments and entities, health care service plans and insurers, physicians, hospitals, clinics, consumers, organized labor, privacy and security professionals, health information technology professionals, community health information organizations, county health, county social services, county public health, and community-based organizations.  The stakeholder group provides information and advice on data elements, gaps in data collection, privacy and security, and develop policies and definitions for the Framework.

b) Establish Framework.  Establishes, on or before July 1, 2022, the California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework, including a single data sharing agreement and common set of policies and procedures to govern and require the exchange of health information among health care organizations and government agencies in California. On July 5, 2022, CalHHS released the Data Exchange Framework, Data Sharing Agreement, and initial set of Policies and Procedures.

c) Health Care Organization Adoption of Framework.  Requires, on or before January 31, 2023, execution of the Framework’s data sharing agreement by general acute care hospitals, physician organizations, medical groups, certain skilled nursing facilities, health care service plans, disability insurers, clinical laboratories, and acute psychiatric hospitals.  Also requires CHHSA to work with counties to encourage inclusion of county health, county public health, and county social services agencies as part of the Framework.

d) Real-Time Health Information Exchange.  Requires, on or before January 31, 2024, most health care organizations to exchange health information or provide access to health information from every other health care organization pursuant to the Framework data sharing agreement.  Exempts from this requirement until January 31, 2026, physician practices of fewer than 25 physicians, rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, critical access hospitals, rural general acute care hospitals with fewer than 100 acute care beds, state-run acute psychiatric hospitals, and any non-profit clinic with fewer than 10 health care providers.

Key Milestone Update

Assembly Bill 133 (AB 133) was signed into law on July 27, 2021.

Coordination and Partnership Update

The County has advocated through the County Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA) and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) on this issue. CBHDA is helping project manage the implementation of AB133/CalAIM for us and other counties across the state. They have a good communication channel to the state and are communicating the concerns and needs of the Counties.

Community, Equity, and Climate Update

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Funding Narrative

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