School-Based Medi-Cal Administrative Activities (SMAA)

Good health is essential to student learning and achievement. Local Educational Agencies (LEAs)—including K–12 school districts, charter schools, and community colleges—play an important role in connecting students and families with Medi-Cal coverage and services.

Through activities such as outreach, referrals, application assistance, and coordination of non-emergency transportation, LEAs help students and families access needed care and support. These are among the administrative activities recognized by California’s School-Based Medi-Cal Administrative Activities (SMAA) Program.

By helping students access needed physical, mental, and behavioral health services, LEAs can support students’ ability to fully participate in school. When health needs are addressed, students may be better able to:

• Attend school regularly
• Focus and engage in the classroom
• Participate in school activities, including extracurricular programs

The School-Based Medi-Cal Administrative Activities (SMAA) Program allows participating LEAs to receive federal reimbursement for eligible administrative costs associated with Medi-Cal-related activities. These resources can help strengthen schools’ capacity to connect students and families with needed care and support.

Region 9 Administrative Unit

The Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) has administered the Region 9 Administrative Unit (formerly the Local Educational Consortium, or LEC) for the School-Based Medi-Cal Administrative Activities (SMAA) Program since 1999. OCDE serves local educational agencies in Orange, San Diego, and Imperial counties.

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has developed a SMAA informational brochure that provides local educational agencies with an overview of the program, including eligibility and participation information.

SMAA Brochure