Judge Says Medi-Cal Must Cover Mentally Ill Juveniles

Youth with mental illnesses who are held in juvenile halls are eligible for Medi-Cal coverage of care in psychiatric hospitals, Judge Peter Busch of San Francisco Superior Court ruled Tuesday. According to a suit brought by San Francisco and Santa Clara counties, the state had been denying such coverage for juveniles in county facilities and leaving the cost of care to counties, in violation of federal law. The state had assumed the cost of juveniles held in state facilities.

• "State Told To Pay Tab for Mentally Ill Youths" (Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/7).