Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI)

In the Budget Act of 2021, California launched the Children and Youth Behavioral Initiative (CYBHI). This program focuses on enhancing the physical and behavioral well-being of all students by increasing intervention and prevention services at school, where students spend a majority of their time.

This new law requires school districts to partner with health service providers, including Medi-Cal and private insurance, to support social and emotional health services for students. As a result, districts can now receive reimbursement for physical and behavioral health services provided to students during the school day. This presents a significant opportunity for Granada Hills Charter (GHC) as we navigate budget constraints by receiving reimbursement for existing services like screening, assessments, and mental health supports.

In the summer of 2025, parents will be asked to provide health insurance or Medi-Cal information during the Annual Update process and subsequently on all new student enrollments.

What Services Does CYBHI cover?

The "Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative" (CYBHI) requires health insurers to reimburse school districts for certain mental and emotional supports they provide for students under the age of 26, including:

Social-emotional lessons in the classroom
Behavioral health screenings
Teen Mental Health First Aid for all 10th graders
Substance use screening and counseling
Individual and group counseling for topics such as friendship/social skills, executive functioning, anxiety, grief, etc.

This program is a first-of-its-kind effort to make it easier for students and families to get the outpatient mental health care that they need and districts to get the funding they need to continue to provide these mental health services.

Will CYBHI Affect My Health Insurance?

Will My Information Be Kept Confidential?

The information that you provide to your child’s school, including health insurance information, is completely confidential. You and your child are entitled to privacy, confidentiality, and protections under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

All health information will be securely stored and only shared in alignment with existing federal and state laws.

Is There a Cost to My Family?

The CYBHI program prohibits health plans and insurers from passing any of the costs of these services to families. This means that there WILL NOT be any out-of-pocket expenses (e.g. co-pays, deductibles) for you or your family

Receiving services at school will not reduce or impact students' or their family's ability to obtain care outside of school.

As part of the CYBHI, the "Fee Schedule" sets the reimbursement rate for different types of school-related mental health services.