BEHAVORIAL HEALTH CHIEF SIGNS BACK-LOGGED MEDI-CAL CLAIMS.

Byline: Krystn Shrieve Staff Writer

The Behavioral Health Department chief said Tuesday he has signed off on Medi-Cal claims for July and is willing to sign June bills as well, but would not say whether he would endorse any earlier requests.

Dr. David Gudeman said he expected the July claims to be sent to the state Tuesday, as the county begins to seek $13 million for 10 months of back claims that were held during federal investigations of the department. But Gudeman said he is only willing to sign claims for services performed since his appointment as department director in June.

The California Department of Mental Health has begun receiving claims for June and July, a spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday. ``We haven't seen yet the actual form of sign-off,'' Nora Romero said. ``Sometimes that comes in later under separate cover.''

Mike Powers, deputy director of the Health Care Agency - which oversees Behavioral Health - refused to say when the balance of the Medi-Cal claims will be filed or who will endorse them.

Officials have said that whoever signs off on the claims could be held personally liable if the state finds problems with the documents.

County officials have considered enlisting a senior Behavioral Health manager, Duane Essex, to sign because neither Gudeman nor Health Care Agency Director Pierre Durand was in charge of the department during the months in question.

That proposal has raised criticism that top administrators were ducking responsibility for the job.

Supervisor Frank Schillo said Essex would be a logical choice and that the board would be prepared to back Essex if any problems were found with the documentation.

``For us, it doesn't boil down to a personal liability issue,'' Schillo said. ``He will have the support of the board.''