Assisted Living Waiver (ALW)

The Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) is a Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver that was created by legislation that directed the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to develop and implement the project to test the efficacy of assisted living as a Medi-Cal benefit.

Assisted living can be expensive. Luckily, there’s the Assisted Living Waiver program. This healthcare program allows seniors who require a nursing facility level of care, the opportunity to live in assisted living communities as an alternative. The main goal is to improve the quality of life for seniors by providing them with a more comfortable, home-like environment while ensuring they receive the medical care and assistance they need.

To be eligible to receive services as an ALW Participant, an individual must meet the following ALW eligibility criteria:

Age 21 or older;

Have full-scope Medi-Cal eligibility with zero share of cost;

Have care needs equal to those of Medi-Cal-funded residents living and receiving care in nursing facilities;

Willing to live in an assisted living setting as an alternative to a nursing facility;

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 Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma counties

If you meet the eligibility requirements and are interested in the benefits the ALW program offers, the first step towards applying for the waiver is to submit a Medi-Cal application to your county’s Department of Human Services. Although the Assisted Living Waiver Program is available in 15 California counties, you don’t necessarily have to live in any of these counties to qualify for the waiver. This means you can take advantage of the waiver benefits by moving into an assisted living facility located in any of the counties that offer the ALW program.

For more information about how you can apply for the ALW and begin your assisted living journey, click the link below

Choosing a Residential Care Facility for Seniors in California