Enhanced Care Management: A New Path to Better Health for Children and Youth

Navigating healthcare can be overwhelming for families of children with complex needs. Between multiple doctors, care programs, and social services, coordination often falls on parents and caregivers, leading to stress, confusion, and gaps in support.

To bridge these gaps, California introduced Enhanced Care Management (ECM),  a Medi-Cal Managed Care benefit available across all counties. ECM is designed to provide comprehensive, whole-person care coordination for members with complex health, behavioral, or social challenges.

The Power of Connection Through ECM

Children and youth with serious health or developmental needs are often supported by several providers at once, yet communication between systems isn’t always seamless. That’s where ECM makes a difference. It connects healthcare, behavioral health, and community services under one coordinated plan, ensuring that every part of a child’s care works together toward better outcomes.

Through ECM, families are paired with a Lead Care Manager, a single point of contact who helps manage care plans, coordinate providers, and connect to local resources. This personalized support helps families focus more on their child’s progress and less on the challenges of navigating complex systems.

Five Ways ECM Helps Children and Youth Thrive

1. Keeps Families Engaged in Care ECM ensures that children receive consistent care and attention. The Lead Care Manager can meet families where they are, at home, school, or in the community, helping them stay involved in every step of the care journey.

2. Creates a Personalized Care Plan Together with the family, the care team develops a plan that reflects the child’s unique needs and goals. This includes physical, behavioral, and oral health services, as well as access to developmental and community support.

3. Improves Communication Between Providers The Lead Care Manager keeps all of the child’s doctors and specialists updated, helping coordinate appointments, track medications, and monitor treatment progress. This reduces duplication and ensures continuity of care.

4. Strengthens Family and Support Networks ECM brings together everyone who supports the child, parents, caregivers, teachers, and providers, to create a shared understanding of care needs and responsibilities. This collaboration fosters stronger, more informed support systems.

5. Connects Families to Community Resources Beyond healthcare, ECM links families to essential non-medical services such as public benefits, transportation, early childhood development programs, and social or housing supports, promoting overall well-being and stability.