Agency Biography

CCHCS is a state agency that provides the full spectrum of health care services – from preventive services to end-of-life care – to about 100,000 people incarcerated in California’s prisons.

Incarcerated people disproportionately represent underserved communities associated with welldocumented health disparities. Many have extensive lived experience with homelessness, trauma, substance use disorders, mental illness, and living with disabilities. These attributes make California’s incarcerated population an incredibly valuable resource in the realm of peer support.

CCHCS oversees a comprehensive training program to certify incarcerated individuals as Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists while they are still in prison, preparing program participants for a career working with underserved populations post-release. This program is an integral part of the California Model, a systemwide initiative that leverages international best practices to overhaul prison operations, establish a truly rehabilitative environment for incarcerated people, and creates a safer and more professionally safe work environment for staff.