In January 2020, California’s Medi-Cal program began paying eligible providers for conducting Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screenings for Medi-Cal patients. Starting July 1, 2020, Medi-Cal providers must have self-attested to taking the certified training available at training.ACEsAware.org to continue receiving payment for screening patients for ACEs.
Have you taken the “Becoming ACEs Aware in California” training?
The “Becoming ACEs Aware in California” training is a free, online training that provides two Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credits. The training educates providers about the importance of incorporating ACE screenings into their clinical practices, how to conduct ACE screenings, how to use clinical protocols to determine treatment plans, and best practices in providing trauma-informed care. The training is case-based, and offers cases for pediatric, internal medicine, family medicine, and women’s health providers.
Have you self-attested to finishing the training?
After taking the training, Medi-Cal providers must self-attest to having completed the training. Attestation is simple and only takes a few minutes. Providers who have not completed attestation can be paid for screenings conducted between January and June 2020. Only providers who have completed attestation will qualify for Medi-Cal payment for qualified screenings after July 1. Providers can complete the training and attestation any time, including after July 1.
The attestation form also includes an option to be included in a directory of Medi-Cal providers who have completed a certified ACEs Aware training. Medi-Cal patients will be able to find “ACEs Aware” providers.
Are you screening Medi-Cal patients for ACEs?
Qualifying ACE screenings are eligible for payment in any clinical setting in which billing occurs through Medi-Cal fee-for-service or to a network provider of a Medi-Cal managed care plan. To learn more about qualifying ACE screenings and to see which enrolled Medi-Cal provider types are eligible to receive payment, visit https://www.acesaware.org/about-aces-aware/faq/.
Providers do not have to have taken the training or self-attested to receive payments for qualified screenings conducted between January 1 and June 30, 2020. The training and self-attestation requirement only applies to Medi-Cal payments for qualified screenings conducted after July 1, 2020.
Information for all providers interested in ACEs and trauma-informed care, as well as patients who have questions, is available at www.ACEsAware.org.
