CCS Program Overview
What is CCS?
The CCS Program provides diagnostic and treatment services, medical case management, social work assessments, and intervention, as well as physical and occupational therapy services to children under age 21 with CCS-eligible medical conditions. Examples of CCS-eligible conditions include but are not limited to, chronic medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, cerebral palsy, heart disease, cancer, traumatic injuries, and infectious diseases that may produce major consequences.
The CCS Program is administered as a partnership between County Public Health Departments and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Currently, approximately 80-85 percent of San Bernardino County CCS-eligible children are also Medi-Cal eligible. Medi-Cal pays for Medi-Cal recipients’ care. The cost of care for the other 15-20 percent of children is split between Straight CCS and CCS Optional Targeted Low-Income Children Program (OTLICP). Care for Straight CCS Only clients is funded equally between the State and counties. The cost of care for CCS OTLICP is funded by 65 percent by Federal Title XXI funds, 17.5 percent by State funds, and 17.5 percent by County funds.
For information regarding services, visit our Request CCS Services page or please call 909-458-1637.
Legislative Authority
Enabling legislation of the CCS program:
Health and Safety Code, Section 123800 et seq. is the enabling statute for the CCS program. The explicit legislative intent of the CCS program is to provide necessary medical services for children with CCS medically eligible conditions whose parents are unable to pay for these services, wholly or in part. The statute also requires the DHCS and the county CCS program to seek eligible children by cooperating with local public or private agencies and providers of medical care to bring potentially eligible children to sources of expert diagnosis and treatment.
The CCS program is mandated by the Welfare and Institutions Code and the California Code of Regulations (Title 22, Section 51013) to act as an “agent of Medi-Cal” for Medi-Cal beneficiaries with CCS medically eligible conditions. Medi-Cal is required to refer all CCS-eligible clients to CCS for case management services and authorization for treatment. The statute also requires all CCS applicants who may be eligible for the Medi-Cal program to apply for Medi-Cal.
May 17, 1927 – CCS was created as the Crippled Children’s Act (Coombs-Inman bill)
1935 – The Social Security Act established these programs nationwide
1945 – The Medical Therapy Program (MTP) was established
1961 – Budget Act expanded the eligibility to include other neuromuscular and musculoskeletal conditions
1968 – The Crown Act established county responsibility for administering the MTP locally in the public school setting
1975 – Public Law 94-142 (Federal Education of the Handicapped Act) passed to incorporate federal requirements for special education services funding.
1981 – First Interagency Agreement was established between the MTP and the California Department of Education (CDE) and Special Education Division (SED)
1984 – Assembly Bill (AB) 3632 was passed which started the process of developing a revised interagency agreement between the Department of Health Services/CCS and California Department of Education
1990 – Public Law 94-142 was changed to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
2000 – Revised Interagency Agreement between the State Department of Health Services/CCS and California Department of Education