California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal

As a means of addressing health disparities and social determinants of health, Medi-Cal MCPs are able to earn incentive funds for making investments and progress in addressing homelessness and keeping people housed. MCPs and the local homeless Continuum of Care, in partnership with public health jurisdictions, county behavioral health, public hospitals, county social services and local housing departments, must submit a homelessness plan to DHCS.

The homelessness plan must outline how HHIP services and supports will be integrated into the homeless system. This would include a housing and services gaps and needs assessment and how these funds will prioritize aging and disabled homeless Californians (including those with a behavioral health disability). Plans should build off of existing Department of Housing and Urban Development or other homeless programs and be designed to address unmet needs. The homelessness plans must include mapping the continuum of services with a focus on homelessness prevention, interim housing (particularly for the aging and disabled population), rapid re-housing (families and youth) and permanent supportive housing.

The CalAIM Incentive Payment Program is intended to support the implementation and expansion of ECM and Community Supports by incentivizing managed care plans (MCPs) — in accordance with 42 CFR Section 438.6(b) — to invest in provider capacity and delivery system infrastructure; bridge current silos across physical and behavioral health care service delivery; reduce health disparities and promote health equity; achieve improvements in quality performance; and encourage use of Community Supports. Learn more at DHCS’ Incentive Payment Program FAQ.  

California’s Section 1115 waiver renewal includes expenditure authority for the Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) initiative to maintain, build and scale the services, capacity and infrastructure necessary to ensure the successful implementation of ECM, Community Supports and justice-involved services. PATH funding aims to support community-level service delivery networks to ensure access and improve health outcomes. Particular attention is paid to communities that have been historically under-resourced because of economic or social marginalization due to race, ethnicity, rural geography or other factors. PATH funding is available for various entities, such as providers, counties, former Whole Person Care lead entities, community-based organizations, tribes and others. Learn more at DHCS’ PATH website.