Drug Medi-Cal Narcotic Replacement Therapy Treatment Services

The County of Orange (County) Health Care Agency (HCA) is seeking applications from qualified organizations to provide Narcotic Replacement Therapy (NRT) Treatment Services to Orange County residents who have Drug Medi-Cal. The target population for these services is those aged 12 years and older who meet medical necessity criteria for opioid use disorder or another qualifying substance use disorder (SUD) diagnosis. The target population includes both perinatal and non-perinatal individuals.

Organizations who are contracted through this process would provide NRT (methadone maintenance) and other medication services to clients with a qualifying SUD diagnosis 365 days per year, in an outpatient setting and/or through a mobile NRT unit if the organization’s Narcotic Treatment Program (NTP) license allows it to render services via a mobile unit. Such services include assessment and treatment planning, medication management, individual counseling, group counseling, case management, referral for ancillary needs, coordination of care, discharge planning, Recovery Incentives program, peer services, and linkage to ongoing care, if applicable.

The primary goal of this program is to help improve the lives of individuals ages 12 years and older with SUD by providing NRT and other medication services for DMC clients, as well as to: (1) reduce criminal activity, (2) lessen emergency room/hospital visits, (3) create safer communities, (4) decrease addictive births, and (5) increase personal productivity and responsibility.

Successful applicants must clearly demonstrate in their application:

1. The ability to provide NRT and other medication services for Drug Medi-Cal clients, which includes the ability to adhere to all state regulations as outlined in the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 9, Division 4, Chapter 4, Subchapters 1-6, CCR Title 22, Perinatal Practice Guidelines, 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) section 8.12, and Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) licensing in accordance with applicable provisions of the Health and Safety Code and the CCR, as well as any regulatory changes required by the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative.
2. The ability to utilize Evidenced Based Practices (EBPs) as part of these services. These may include, but not be limited to Motivational Interviewing, Trauma Informed Care, etc.