August 20, 2026
Following are this week’s updates. If you have questions, please contact [email protected].
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Updated Batch Service Upload Template
As part of this weekend’s deployment, the Batch Service Upload template will be updated to include a new Mode of Delivery field. Effective Aug. 24, the updated template will be required for all Batch Services uploaded into SmartCare.
The new template and instructions will be posted to the Service Import into Practice Management knowledge base article Friday, Aug. 21.
NACT 274 Per Staff Per Site Enhancement
The ability to collect and report additional NACT 274 information per staff per site will be deployed to production environments on Aug. 24. This enhancement will migrate existing per-staff questions to the new site-specific pop-ups, update the nightly caseload job, and include several additional beneficial revisions to 274 screens.
Post-Deployment Activities
The following steps must be completed following deployment:
- Associate programs to 274 sites
- Populate taxonomies on all applicable license/degrees
- Update office hours and ownership EIN/SSNs for 274 sites (where applicable)
- Individual 274 information for all staff that work at multiple sites
- Add/update affiliated NPIs
Updated Permissions
CalMHSA-defined roles with existing permission to Staff Details > Custom Fields and Provider Staff Details Direct Entry will receive additional permission to the new (Screens) Custom Staff Provider Information and (Screens) 274 Provider Details pop-up windows, which provide access to per staff per site data collection.
CSI District of Residence
The CSI District of Residence question within the CSI Standalone will be updated from a textbox to a dropdown on Aug. 24. This dropdown will be delivered empty initially. Counties will need to update the XCACSIDistResidenc Global Code category to utilize the updated field.
DLA-20 Documents: Editing by Non-Authors
Because the DLA-20 adult document is editable by non-authors, while the DLA-20 youth document is not — and because this is a clinical assessment tool — CalMHSA will remove non-author edit access from the DLA-20 adult document. This change will occur on Aug. 28.
The change is not expected to affect many users, if any, since the DLA-20 adult is not a required form and is generally not used by multiple authors. Counties with concerns can contact CalMHSA at [email protected].
DATAR Waitlist Update – Feedback Requested
CalMHSA ran a script in all county QA environments to reactivate the original labels for waitlist tracking in the Program Assignment Details screen. The update will reset only labels; waitlist functionality itself is core to SmartCare and will not change.
Counties are asked to test this functionality while CalMHSA runs its own tests.
Updates will be in a future EHR Bulletin once best practices are determined. Counties are encouraged to submit feedback to [email protected]. For basic information about the waitlist section, please read more.
From SmartCare’s User Guides:
Program Assignment Details: Waitlist Priority Section
- Priority Number: the client’s priority level in the waitlist
- Emergency checkbox: select this checkbox if the client has an immediate need to be admitted to this program
- Must Be Enrolled By Date: date by which the client needs to be enrolled in the program
- Priority Population: vulnerable populations, or populations that need to be seen quickly or within a specific timeframe, such as clients who are pregnant or experiencing homelessness. Priority population values are defined by the global code category “PriorityPopulation,” and one or more options may be selected as applicable.
- Prerequisite: select a prerequisite that must be met before the client can be enrolled in the program, defined by the global code category “PrerequisiteType”
- Comment: any applicable comments
- None of these fields are required.
Program Details: Intake Section
- Capacity: number of clients that can be enrolled in the program at one time
- Currently Enrolled: number of clients currently enrolled in the program; a hyperlink opens the Program Assignment list page, where program enrollees can be viewed.
- Waiting: number of clients waiting to enroll in the program; a hyperlink opens the Program Assignment list page, where clients who have requested enrollment can be viewed.
New NDC Codes in Production; New “ISL” Degree Added
Three new NDC codes were added to production as CalMHSA prepares to configure procedure rates and deploy them to all counties:
- Brixadi Monthly 64 mg/0.18 mL syringe, NDC 58284026401
- Brixadi Monthly 96 mg/0.27 mL syringe, NDC 58284029601
- Brixadi Monthly 128 mg/0.36 mL syringe, NDC 58284022801
Additionally, a new degree called “ISL” was added to all ISL non-Medi-Cal procedure codes.
Reminder: May/June MSP Available in QA for Testing
The May/June Monthly Service Pack was deployed to QA on Aug. 11. The timeline for the production deployment is still pending; details will be shared as they become available.
Release notes and the Excel spreadsheet with the associated tasks can be found in the knowledge base.
Note: The color-coded legend on the knowledge base has been updated. The yellow highlight, previously used when changes and defects were combined, will be rarely used going forward now that changes and defects are listed separately in the release notes.
Upcoming Initiatives
See the EHR Product Team’s upcoming initiatives in this list, updated as products and priorities evolve.
CalMHSA EHR Initiative Report 8-20-26.
Events Calendar
To register for events, visit the events page.