ACCESSING MENTAL HEALTH CARE FROM MEDI-CAL
Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program. It gives health coverage to people who meet certain income limits. If you have Medi-Cal, you still need to qualify for some services. To do that, it’s important to clearly explain any medical or mental health concerns.
WHEN YOU CALL MEDI-CAL
If your child needs help with mental or behavior problems, Medi-Cal usually has to approve services like therapy. You can call the Medi-Cal Access line and explain what’s going on. It helps to plan what you’ll say.
Below is a guide or script you can use when talking to the agent. Pick the things that apply to your child from the lists.
Hello, my name is _______________________, and I would like to connect my child to Mental Health Services.
My child’s name is ___________________________,
and they are __________ years old.
Their Date of Birth (DOB) is _____________.
My child was referred to Mental Health services by:
☐ Me
☐ Teacher/School
☐ Pediatrician
☐ Case Worker
☐ Home Visitor
☐ Other: _______________________________
My child is exhibiting the following behaviors at HOME and/or SCHOOL:
☐ Hitting
☐ Biting
☐ Spitting
☐ Yelling
☐ Running Away
☐ Intense Meltdowns/Tantrums
☐ Difficulty being soothed
☐ Difficulty following directions/routine
☐ Isolating
☐ Clinginess/Separation Anxiety
☐ Shutting Down
☐ Withdrawing
☐ Changes in sleeping
☐ Changes in eating
☐ Difficulty focusing
☐ Intense fears/worries
☐ Toileting accidents
My child is struggling with these physical symptoms:
☐ Headaches
☐ Stomachaches
☐ Other pain: ____________________________
My child/family has recently experienced:
☐ Change in Home/Moving
☐ Birth/Death of a Family Member
☐ Accident
☐ Health Issues of a Family Member
☐ Divorce/Separation
☐ Other: _____________________________
