Medi-Cal Expands Services to Provide More Help to Unhoused Californians

  Edward Henderson | California Black Media (CBM) – Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid, is currently transforming to expand coverage for unhoused and at-risk individuals across the state. The rollout for these changes began on Jan. 1, 2022. New programs include rental and deposit aid, recuperative housing, rehabilitation and sobering centers during the day and the provision of street medicine: mobile units that bring care to unhoused individuals. To be eligible, individuals must be enrolled in the Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan and are currently experiencing or deemed at risk of homelessness.& Medi-Cal covers the cost of clinical care and other approved healthcare expenses for people with limited income and resources. “Our unhoused population have inadequate access to shelters, lack of food and care,” said Glenn Tsang, Policy Advisor for the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). “They tend to have extensive medical and behavioral health needs that are difficult to address in an unstable living environment. To help address this, enhanced care management tends to build consistent connections to medical care, behavioral health care and housing stabilization services.” Tsang was speaking at a news briefing focused on Medi-Cal expansion hosted by Ethnic Media Services. According to the DHCS, new services...