An Assisted Living Waiver Care Coordination Agency

The Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) is limited to individuals eligible for Medi-Cal, without a Medi-Cal share of cost, who require a nursing facility level of care and wish to live in a residential care setting or in publicly funded senior and/or disabled housing. ALW participants must have sufficient funds to pay for their room and board, with some funds remaining to meet personal and incidental needs. In determining Medi-Cal eligibility for individuals who are applying for enrollment into ALW, institutional and spousal impoverishment prevention rules are applied. 

• Age 21 or older
• Have full-scope MediCal eligibility with zero share of cost
• Enrolled in SSI/SSP/SSD or receive enough income to pay the monthly room and board amount
• Must meet ALW care criteria – Require assistance with 3/5 activities of daily living
• Able to reside safely in an assisted living facility or public subsidized housing
• Willing to live in an assisted living setting located in one of the following counties providing ALW services: Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Fransisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma Counties.

Yes. As long as you provide us, your Care Coordination Agency (CCA), with your social security number and date of birth we can add you to the waitlist. You will need to have zero-share-of-cost MediCal by the time we are requesting your enrollment in the ALW Program.

ALW Services are funded through the participants' Medi-Cal. There are no out-of-pocket expenses due or payable to Guidant Care from clients or family members. 

Participants are only required to pay ALW Room & Board Rate to Assisted Living Facility each month. 

The ALW Room and Board is determined by SSI and the Non-medical Out of Home Rate. This typically increases yearly with the COLA increase. 

Most ALW participants use their Social Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) to pay for rent. 

Effective January 1, 2026, monthly Room and Board rate is $1,444.07.  

If income is greater than $1,626.07 a facility can charge an additional $20 totaling $1,464.07.

Yes. You have a choice of which ALW approved facility in which you wish to reside. Be advised, each facility must also confirm they can accommodate your care level before admission.  

No. Having Medi-Cal benefits allows you to participate in the program but does not mean that a participant is auto-enrolled. 

You still need to apply with a Care Coordination Agency (CCA) to be enrolled.