An Advocate’s Guide to Medi-Cal Services

Executive Summary

NHeLP’s Medi-Cal Services Guide provides an in-depth description of some of the most important services covered in the Medi-Cal program, including prescription drug services, mental health and substance use disorder services, reproductive and sexual health services, gender-affirming services, among others. The guide seeks to help legal aid attorneys, health advocates, and other stakeholders across California understand the Medi-Cal program and defend the health rights of low-income individuals in the State.

Relevant chapters updated in 2025 and 2026 now emphasize policy changes implemented pursuant to the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative, including new chapters on Care Coordination and Community Supports. In addition, some chapters have been updated to reflect the changing landscape of behavioral treatment, by incorporating a description of the Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) program. Chapters updated in 2025 also reflect recent changes made to Medi-Cal through the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) and the 2025-2026 California budget. UPDATED March 13, 2026

The individual chapters can be downloaded below.