The Assisted Living Waiver, explained

The Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) is a Medi-Cal program, run by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), that pays for the care portion of assisted living so eligible people can live in a licensed care home instead of a nursing facility. On the DHCS participant list on file with Covelight Care (September 28, 2026), 1,071 currently licensed homes participate statewide, across 15 counties — led by Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside.

What does the ALW actually pay for?

The waiver pays participating homes for care and services — help with bathing, dressing, medications, and supervision — that the resident would otherwise receive in a nursing facility. It does not pay rent: room and board remain the resident’s responsibility. Ask the Care Coordination Agency to confirm the amount you would pay and what you would keep for personal needs. The CDSS SSI/SSP schedule separates room and board from care and supervision. Its basic-services total should not be treated as a universal ALW rent quote. See paying for care in California for the payment options.

Who is eligible for the ALW?

DHCS requires full-scope Medi-Cal with zero share of cost and an assessment showing nursing-facility-level care needs. Participants must also meet the program’s adult age requirement and be able to live safely in an assisted-living setting. The home must participate in a county the program serves.

A Care Coordination Agency checks the care requirements; Medi-Cal enrollment alone does not establish ALW eligibility. DHCS reports limited enrollment slots and a waitlist. Ask the agency about enrollment and the home about space separately. Read the current DHCS requirements (checked September 2026).

Which counties have ALW homes?

The waiver operates only in a limited set of counties. Cross-checking the DHCS participant list against the state licensing roster on file with us (September 28, 2026), 1,071 currently licensed participating homes appear in 15 counties, led by Los Angeles (334 homes), Orange (201), and Riverside (120). If your county is not in the table below, the state’s current participant list shows no ALW homes there.

For the statewide picture — every participating home, grouped by county — see assisted living on Medi-Cal in California.

How do I apply?

You enroll through a DHCS-approved Care Coordination Agency (CCA), not directly with facilities. The CCA verifies your Medi-Cal enrollment, performs the level-of-care assessment, builds your care plan, and submits the enrollment paperwork to DHCS. Start at the DHCS Assisted Living Waiver page, which lists the CCAs serving each waiver county, or ask a hospital discharge planner to connect you (DHCS program materials, dhcs.ca.gov).

1. Confirm you are enrolled in Medi-Cal (or apply through your county first).
2. Contact a Care Coordination Agency for your county — listed on the DHCS Assisted Living Waiver page.
3. Complete the in-person level-of-care assessment and care plan with the CCA.
4. Choose a participating home — browse them by county on our ALW hub; every facility page shows participation with the DHCS source and date.
5. Move in once DHCS approves the enrollment.

How do I find a participating home near me?

Every facility page on this site states whether the home appears on the DHCS participant list, with the source and as-of date shown; homes that don’t appear are marked “not on file,” never “no.” Browse all 1,071 participating homes by county, open your county’s Medi-Cal page from the table above, or search any home by name or license number (September 28, 2026 roster).