Report 2012-122 Recommendation 7 Responses

Report 2012-122: Mental Health Services Act: The State's Oversight Has Provided Little Assurance of the Act's Effectiveness, and Some Counties Can Improve Measurement of Their Program Performance (Release Date: August 2013)

Recommendation #7 To: Health Care Services, Department of

To ensure that Health Care Services and other state entities can evaluate MHSA programs and assist the Accountability Commission in its efforts, Health Care Services should resolve all known technical issues with the partnership and client services systems and provide adequate and expert resources to manage the systems going forward.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018

Department of Health Care Services migrated the Data Collection Reporting (DCR) System into the Behavioral Health Information Services System in October 2017. Migration for the Client Services Information System and DCR is fully implemented.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From September 2016

DHCS migrated the Client and Service Information system into the new Behavioral Health Information Services system (BHIS) in April 2016. At this time, DHCS is not aware of any technical issues. DHCS is also planning to migrate the Data Collection and Reporting system into the BHIS and expects to complete the migration during 2017.

This recommendation will be fully implemented when the DCR migration is completed

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2015

DHCS has resolved the technical problems counties are experiencing in uploading data as evidenced by the improvements in timely reporting. DHCS is also updating the CSI system that should improve data submission. The upgrades to the CSI system should be completed by the end of 2015. Finally, DHCS is continuing to work on the data modernization project, but full implementation of this recommendation does not depend upon fully implementing the data modernization project.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented

1-Year Agency Response

As of March 3, 2014, all of the eight Data Collection and Reporting (DCR) modifications were completed in accordance with the contract timeframe. In addition, DHCS is in the process of creating a plan to update the technology platform of the Client and Services Information (CSI) system in an effort to improve data integrity.

DHCS Information Technology staff continues to work closely with county staff to resolve technical issues in the CSI and DCR systems. Additionally, bi-monthly meetings are held with the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission to plan for data strengthening efforts for CSI and DCR data and to coordinate data system improvements.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

As of January 2014, six of the eight Data Collection and Reporting modifications have been completed. This project is expected to be completed by March 2014, in accordance with the contract timeframe.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

DHCS Information Technology staff continue to work directly with county staff and their system vendors to resolve county data submission issues.

Through collaboration with the Accountability Commission, DHCS has received additional resources to assist with implementing system updates to the Data Collection and Reporting full service partnership data system. System updates necessary to address priority system improvements began in July 2013 and are to be completed by March 2014.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

All Recommendations in 2012-122

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.