Research

To provide data that aids county behavioral health plans in understanding how policies and programs impact outcomes, CalMHSA conducts rigorous evaluation and research through internal analysis and in partnership with independent researchers and institutions. 

This research informs decision-making and strategies for key behavioral health initiatives using statistical techniques. Findings are shared through direct reports to stakeholders, publications, conference presentations, and ongoing research collaborations. 

Interested in partnering with the Research Team? Contact: [email protected] 

Current & Upcoming Research Projects 

Evaluation of ASCMI Form Adoption: To support counties in effectively implementing the Authorization to Share Confidential Member Information (ASCMI) form, CalMSHA is assessing usability, workflow integration, technical assistance experiences, feedback, and client responses among providers in the early adopters cohort. 

Assessing Impacts of an AI Progress Note Tool: To help counties evaluate tools that could enhance their work, CalMHSA is working to evaluate how an AI progress note tool impacts service delivery, documentation quality and timeliness, and provider perceptions towards workload and documentation stress. 

Webinar Series

Evidence-Based Practice Clinical Need Estimates: In support of county behavioral health plans’ efforts with program planning and development, CalMHSA generated estimates of populations that may have clinical need for key evidence-based practices that will be required under BH-CONNECT. A webinar series describing methodology can be found under Training & Implementation.

Conference Presentations

Beyond the Claim: How Individual Service Level (ISL) Reveals the True Scope of Behavioral Health 

Presentation slides (PDF)

Authors: Marlies Perez, Amie Miller, Ryan Quist, Dawn Kaiser, Haylea Hannah 

 

Forum: DHCS Substance Use Disorder Integrated Care Conference 2026, Long Beach, CA, Aug. 25-27, 2026 

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall, Who Needs Behavioral Health Evidence-Based Practices in California Most of All? Estimating Clinical Need Among Medi-Cal and Uninsured Populations 

Presentation slides (PDF)

Authors: Haylea Hannah, Dawn Kaiser, Amy Leino, Rowena Nery, John Paul Grogan, Nivedita Meethan, Amie Miller

 

Forum: CSTE 2026 Annual Conference, Boston, MA, May 31-June 4, 2026

Measuring Housing Status Within Existing EHR Data While Maintaining Alignment with California State Policy

Presentation slides (PDF)

Authors: Hannah Rishik, Haylea Hannah, Jasminder Bains, Vanessa Pan, Bethany Dominik, Stanley Brusa, Dawn Kaiser

 

Forum: CSTE 2026 Annual Conference, Boston, MA, May 31-June 4, 2026
Research Collaborations 

The partners we work with to strengthen and extend our research impacts.