Source: Terner Center

Date Published: 09.04.2025

Link: Supporting the Implementation of CalAIM within Permanent Supportive Housing

In 2022, California established its Mediaid program – CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal), now insuring 40% of state residents. Focusing on the intersection of this policy with people experiencing homelessness, the article describes various initiatives designed to holistically support them. The authors explore how permanent supportive housing (“stable, cost-effective housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness”) providers can utilize Medi-Cal funds for resident services, potentially establishing a sustainable funding source for future developments. However, challenges to development include navigating complex eligibility and billing systems, reimbursement delays, and administrative burdens. Developers specifically face distinct risks tied to property financing, compliance, and limited clinical expertise. The piece concludes with two case studies that address how each mitigated these challenges: one through an incremental, phased rollout and the other through centralizing administration.