Assisted Living Waiver Program (ALWP)

Assisted living bridges the gap between independent living and nursing home. It provides personal support and services to provide more intensive care than is available through home care services or in-home support services. Assisted living typically offers assistance with the activities of daily living and ensures residents have access to staff 24 hours a day. It also is less expensive and less restrictive than a nursing home. The Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) program is one long-term care option for Medi-Cal recipients and offers an alternative to nursing facility placement. The program is a combination federal/state-funded program that allows eligible individuals to reside in and receive services from a California-licensed Residential Care Facility.

The goal of the Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) program is to enable low-income, Medi-Cal-eligible seniors and persons with disabilities who would otherwise require Skilled Nursing Facility services to remain in or relocate to a community setting in a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) or Assisted Living Facilities (ALF). This program is in partnership with the California State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and is funded with Medi-Cal funds. Residents pay monthly for room and board from their income to reside in an assisted living facility participating in the program.

(Monthly room and board fee ranges from $1,324.82 to $1,344.82/monthly. Rates subject to change per SSI rates)

For further information on the Medi-Cal Assisted Living Waiver Program, please click here.