Medi-Cal to cover Indigenous traditional care in Silicon Valley

Starting next year, Medi-Cal will cover traditional healing practices for Native Americans seeking treatment for substance use. Medi-Cal will expand its coverage to services provided by Native American traditional healers, including herbal medicine, music therapy and spiritual interventions like rituals. It will also cover services provided by natural helpers, including counseling and trauma support. A natural helper is a health advisor who gives recovery and social support in the context of tribal cultures. California is one of four states to cover traditional health care practices, along with Arizona, New Mexico and Oregon where it’s known as Medicaid. “It’s a very positive…