The mission of the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is to provide low-income Californians with access to affordable, high-quality health care, including medical, dental, mental health, substance use disorder services, and long-term supports and services. To fulfill its mission, the DHCS finances and administers a number of individual health care service delivery programs, including the California Medical Assistance Program (Medi-Cal), which provides health care services to low-income persons and families who meet defined eligibility requirements.

DHCS' vision is to preserve and improve the physical and mental health of Californians, and sustain the core values of integrity, service, accountability, and innovation.

To achieve its mission, the DHCS has set the following goals:

• Emphasize prevention-oriented health care that promotes health and well-being.
• Serve those with the greatest health care needs through the appropriate and effective expenditure of public resources, with a focus on improving the health of Californians.
• Enhance quality, including the patient care experience, in all DHCS programs.
• Reduce the department's per capita health care program costs.
• Maximize efficiency that has a positive impact on the health care system.