Community Supports (CS)

CalAIM’s Community Supports (CS) are specialized non-medical services that address life challenges affecting a person’s health. Offering these services to high-needs Medi-Cal members helps reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and gives people the resources they need to successfully transition from long-term nursing home care back into the community. 

These supports were available before CalAIM but only through special programs administered by different agencies, often with a capped enrollment number. Now, for the first time in California’s history, health plans can cover and get reimbursed by Medi-Cal for these non-medical services the same way they do for medical care. 

“We’ve had members living in nursing home beds who don’t need or want to be there. Community Supports allow them to live successfully in the community with supports.” — Amy Scribner, HPSM Chief Health Officer

Of CalAIM’s 14 optional Community Supports, HPSM so far offers eight:

Housing services (in partnership with Brilliant Corners, Mental Health Association of San Mateo County and MidPen Housing)

• Help finding housing
• Financial move-in assistance (such as housing deposits)
• Housing tenancy services
• Housing sustaining services
• Home safety improvements to prevent falls

Nutrition services (in partnership with Mom’s Meals)

• Specialized medical meals to promote nutrition and health

Care coordination and transition services (in partnership with the Institute on Aging)

• Help transferring from a nursing home to community living 
• Coordination of care and services needed at home
• Caregiver support that provides additional caregiving services or respite to give caregivers a needed break