Program Information
Medi-Cal offers medical services to children whose families are unable to pay healthcare costs. Many of those families are unaware of the program and do not know that they may be eligible for Medi-Cal assistance.
Schools play a key role in connecting families to Medi-Cal. The following reimbursable SMAA activities directly support Medi-Cal services for students and their families.
- Initial Medi-Cal Outreach
- Facilitating Medi-Cal Application
- Ongoing Referral, Coordination, and Monitoring of Medi-Cal Services
- Arranging Transportation in Support of Medi-Cal Services
- Translation Related to Medi-Cal Services
- Program Planning, Policy Development, and Interagency Coordination Related to Medi-Cal Services
- SMAA Administration, Coordination, and Training
The SMAA program allows Local Educational Agencies (LEA) and County Offices of Education to be reimbursed federal dollars for costs incurred while performing certain administrative activities. Employees record their time worked on these activities and then a claim is submitted based on this information.
SMAA is a Federal Financial Participation (FFP) program, which requires a non-federal match. Approved SMAA costs are reimbursed at fifty percent (50%). Revenue is unrestricted.
School Participation
Local Educational Agencies (LEA) in Orange, San Diego, and Imperial counties contract with the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) to participate in SMAA through Region 9 AU. LEAs agree to fulfill the following responsibilities.
- Designate fiscal and program liaisons to OCDE
- Participate in LEC trainings and meetings
- Determine which staff members participate in SMAA
- Train SMAA time survey participants
- Administer SMAA Time Survey process
- Certify funds expended on SMAA activities
- Prepare and certify SMAA Invoices
- Develop and maintain SMAA Audit File