CalAIM Funding: A Lifeline for Formerly homeless Individuals in California
In California, a groundbreaking initiative known as CalAIM is making waves by addressing a critical gap in services for formerly homeless individuals living in subsidized housing. While state programs like Homekey provide funding for purchasing or constructing homeless housing and vouchers cover rent,teh CalAIM initiative steps in to fill the void left by other grants. This innovative approach focuses on providing essential case management, counseling, and support services for individuals with physical, mental health, or addiction challenges—a population that Governor Gavin Newsom has prioritized in his efforts to reduce encampments across the state.
“I shudder to think what would happen if we had all of the mandates from our development side of supporting peopel through coordinated entry, taking really vulnerable people, and we then reduced the services down to bare bones,” said Wan, highlighting the importance of extensive support systems.
What Could a Trump Administration Mean for CalAIM?
As speculation swirls around potential changes under a Trump administration, the future of CalAIM remains uncertain. Dr. Mehmet Oz, trump’s nominee to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, lacks prior experiance with the agency, making it arduous to predict how he might approach CalAIM. Any meaningful changes would likely surface during California’s attempt to renew its CalAIM waivers in late 2026. However, history shows that presidential administrations can terminate waivers early; as an example, President Joe Biden revoked Trump-era waivers requiring Medicaid recipients to prove work eligibility. While CalAIM’s immediate future appears secure, the uncertainty beyond 2026 raises concerns, especially given California’s status as a state not traditionally favored by the Trump administration.
“It’s not like CalAIM is going away tomorrow, or even in January,” said Sharon Rapport, director of California state policy for the Corporation for Supportive Housing. “But after that,I think that’s where the questions are: What could happen then? And the fact that it’s California,and not Trump’s favorite state,I think makes people worried.”
expanding Coverage and Addressing Social Determinants of Health
CalAIM’s ambitions extend beyond current services, with plans to expand coverage to include health care for individuals up to 90 days before their release from jail or prison. additionally, California has applied to amend its federal waivers to integrate rental assistance into CalAIM’s offerings. If approved, medi-Cal could fund up to six months of rent for homeless or at-risk individuals transitioning from settings like jail, prison, hospitals, or substance abuse facilities. These initiatives aim to address the broader social determinants of health, a concept that has drawn criticism from conservative think tanks like the Manhattan Institute.
“Even if a social welfare program is a well-intentioned and wise idea, that does not make it health-care,” wrote Manhattan Institute senior fellow Chris Pope. “Health care costs will not be greatly reduced by expanding the meaning of health care to cover every social service; nor would doing so distribute nonmedical assistance to those who need it most.”
As California continues to innovate with CalAIM,the program’s success hinges on sustained federal support. For now, it remains a beacon of hope for thousands of formerly homeless individuals striving to maintain stable housing and improve their quality of life.
For more updates on California’s innovative approaches to homelessness and health care, stay tuned to World Today News.
Trump Administration’s Potential Medicaid Changes Could Impact California’s CalAIM Program
The Trump administration’s potential changes to Medicaid waivers could have significant implications for California’s innovative calaim program, which provides critical services to vulnerable populations. If the administration decides to alter or revoke these waivers, California may be forced to scale back services or introduce work requirements, perhaps jeopardizing the program’s effectiveness.
During his previous tenure, Trump approved 13 state waivers that included work requirements for Medicaid recipients, a policy later revoked by the Biden administration. The conservative think tank Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 also emphasizes the importance of work requirements in its governing blueprint. Though, research from the progressive Center on Budget and Policy priorities highlights the challenges these requirements pose, particularly for low-income individuals and people of color.
According to the study, many Medicaid recipients are already working but struggle to provide the necessary documentation. Others face barriers due to caregiving responsibilities or a lack of childcare, making it difficult to comply with work requirements.
In addition to potential work requirements, the Trump administration and a Republican-controlled Congress could implement broader cuts to Medicaid, further threatening California’s ability to sustain programs like CalAIM. CalAIM, which stands for California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal, is a statewide initiative aimed at improving health outcomes through integrated care and social services.
To protect CalAIM services, California could consider embedding them into Medi-Cal as permanent benefits, according to Jennifer Rapport, a policy expert. Her institution is advocating for the state to make CalAIM’s three housing services a permanent part of Medi-Cal.
Staff at L.A. Care, a major health plan provider, are already contemplating how to continue offering CalAIM services if the program faces cuts. Dr. Sameer Amin, the organization’s Chief Medical Officer, emphasized the importance of sustained investment in housing services.L.A. Care currently serves nearly 16,800 individuals through CalAIM’s housing initiatives.
“My concern is that the housing crisis in LA County is not something that happened overnight, and it’s not something that can be corrected overnight,” Dr. Amin said. “It really requires a sustained effort over the course of years and a significant amount of investment. And if we don’t do the investment that we need to do, if we have to reprioritize away from some of these programs, my concern is that these folks are not going to get the health care that they need as they are not housed.”
The potential changes to Medicaid could have far-reaching consequences for California’s most vulnerable populations, highlighting the need for continued advocacy and strategic planning to safeguard critical services like CalAIM.
Staff writer Kristen Hwang contributed to this story.
