Beyond Clinical Care: Closing California’s Data Exchange Gap

California has invested heavily in clinical health information exchange, but behavioral health, public health, and social services have been left behind. This creates fragmented care that harms people with complex needs.

A new report from the California Health Care Foundation, , looks at how to address this gap. It was produced in partnership with researchers at Manatt and UCSF. The analysts surveyed key stakeholders to understand barriers to cross-sector data exchange and identify solutions.

Their findings are striking:

• About half of county behavioral health, public health, and social service agencies exchange data electronically with few or no partners.
• 71% of county behavioral health agencies do not receive electronic notifications when someone enters a hospital for a mental health emergency.
• Only 7% of county public health agencies can receive electronic alerts from hospitals.

In addition to the publication, illustrates the real-world impact of these data gaps on patients navigating the system.

The research identifies four areas where targeted action can move California forward: technology and interoperability standards, workforce development, financing strategies, and policy guidance and technical assistance. We believe these findings can serve as a practical resource as the state works to strengthen coordination across health and human services.

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