ALW for families: could it fit, what to do first

It may. California's Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) lets Medi-Cal pay for care in an assisted-living home instead of a nursing home. Six things all have to be true, starting with age 21 or older and full-scope Medi-Cal with no monthly share of cost. Check all six first.

Check whether ALW may fit

Important: ALW pays for care. It does not pay room and board (room and meals), so the person still pays for those and for personal expenses. And there is a state waitlist. The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) keeps it and decides when an opening is released, so nobody, including Beta, can promise eligibility, an opening, a home or a date.

Start with the question you have now

Your question	The short answer	Read more
Could my family member qualify?	Six things all have to be true: age, Medi-Cal type, level of care, safety in an assisted-living home, county and choice.	See the six requirements
How does the waitlist work?	Who gets priority, what the state controls, and what to do while you wait.	How the waitlist works
What will it cost?	ALW covers the care. Room and board (room and meals) is separate.	See current costs and room and board
How do we apply?	The whole path, from choosing a care agency to enrolling.	See the application process
What papers do we need?	A stage-by-stage list. Start with what you have.	Open the document checklist
Where can someone live?	Homes that take ALW, by county. A listing does not mean a bed is open today.	See homes on the state list

The path, in short

Beta is a Care Coordination Agency (CCA), the state-listed organization that does the ALW paperwork and care planning with you. Beta can be yours.

Find out whether ALW may fit.
Choose a Care Coordination Agency and ask it to add the person to the state's waitlist.
Wait, and stay ready.
When DHCS releases an opening, the nurse assessment, the care plan and the choice of a home follow.
Enrollment paperwork, then the move.

See all ten steps of the application process

Which situation is yours?

In a nursing home right now? Time there can affect waitlist priority, so the dates matter. First priority goes to people in a nursing facility or other institutional setting for at least 60 days when the waitlist request is submitted. Nursing-home transition guide.

Living at home or with family? You can ask your agency to add the person to the waitlist now and use the waiting time to get ready. Applying from home.

Already in an assisted-living home? The home has to take ALW, and the same six requirements apply. Guide for current residents.

Have handy when you call

None of it is required. It helps to know:

their age and county, roughly
where they live now
their Medi-Cal status and share of cost, if you know it
the main care needs, day and night
who helps make decisions
the best way to reach you

Things people are often told that aren't true

"A care agency can get us an opening sooner." The state controls the waitlist, and no agency can move you up.
"If a home is listed, it has a bed." A listing means the home takes ALW; whether a bed is open and the home will admit the person are questions for the home.
"If ALW doesn't fit, we're out of options." Other programs may fit better. What to do if ALW isn't a fit.

Still deciding? Read signs it may be time for assisted living, how to talk with a parent about it and whether Social Security can cover it.

See whether ALW may fit, or call with nothing prepared. Beta's main ALW pages are also available in Spanish.