Implementers’ Perspectives on the Present and Future of Enhanced Care Management (ECM) for Children and Youth 

Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, is working to make the health system more coordinated, person-centered, and equitable through the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative. Enhanced Care Management (ECM) is a benefit under CalAIM which intends to better support children and youth with complex clinical and non-clinical needs who access care across multiple delivery systems.

In August 2024, the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, in partnership with the California Health Care Foundation, contracted Goodwin Simon Strategic Research to conduct a survey of over 900 CalAIM implementers to collect data on implementation challenges and opportunities for ECM, with a focus on the experiences of implementers serving the California Children’s Services population of focus. This issue brief, produced by our Foundation, highlights key survey findings reflecting CalAIM implementers’ experiences and outlook on ECM and shares recommendations for improving ECM for providers, children, and families.