Long-Term Services and Supports Measures and Dashboard Data

The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Data Dashboard is an initiative of the Home and Community Based Services Spending Plan. The initiative's primary goal is to create a public-facing LTSS data dashboard to track demographic, utilization, quality, and cost data related to LTSS services. This dashboard will link statewide long-term care and home and community-based services (HCBS) data with the goal of increased transparency to make it possible for regulators, policymakers, and the public to be informed while the state continues to expand, enhance, and improve the quality of LTSS in all home, community, and congregate settings.

The first iteration of the LTSS Dashboard was released in December 2022 as an Open Data Portal file with 40 measures pertaining to LTSS beneficiaries, which includes ten different demographics, plan-related dimensions, and dual stratification. The December 2023 Data Release includes 16 new measures on the Medi-Cal LTSS Dashboard and Open Data Portal (Select “View Underlying Data”); and additional measures and dimensions, including dual stratification, will be added to the Open Data Portal in 2024.

Note: The LTSS Dashboard measures are based on certified eligible beneficiaries who were enrolled in Medi-Cal for one or more months during the reporting interval. Most of the DHCS LTSS dashboard measures report the annual number of certified eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries who have used LTSS services within a year. Other departments may report on these programs differently. For example, the Department of Social Services (CDSS) reports monthly IHSS recipient/consumer counts. The California Department of Aging (CDA) reports monthly CBAS Medi-Cal participants. DHCS’ annual utilization / enrollment counts of IHSS and CBAS beneficiaries are larger than CDSS/CDA's monthly counts because of data source differences and new enrollment or program attrition over time. Monthly snap-shot measures (average monthly utilization) for IHSS and CBAS have been added to the LTSS Dashboard to align with CDSS and CDA monthly reporting.

Refer to the LTSS-Dashboard (ca.gov) program page for: 1) a Fact Sheet with highlights from the initial data release including changes over time in use of Home and Community-Based Services as well as select demographic information; 2) the Measure Specifications document – that describes business rules and inclusion/exclusion criteria related to age groups, plan types, aid code, geographic, or other important program/waiver-specific eligibility criteria; and 3) User guide – that shows how to navigate the Open Data Portal data file with specific examples.