CalAIM is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve care and outcomes for millions of Medi-Cal enrollees. It’s also complicated, given its incredible scope and reach and the fragmented system that it strives to improve. Over a span of five years, CalAIM will introduce a myriad of new programs and make important reforms to many existing programs. CHCF’s CalAIM Explained series provides an overview of CalAIM’s goals, explains its importance, and breaks down the key changes and timeline for implementation.

CalAIM builds on prior initiatives, like the Whole Person Care pilots, Health Homes program, Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System and the Coordinated Care Initiative. Even so, successfully implementing these reforms will not be easy and will depend on several factors. Among them, the expansion of the community-connected workforce, the ability to share data across different care and social service entities, and the ability of many different organizations to work together in new and equitable ways on behalf of patients and clients they share.

DHCS also maintains a CalAIM website and timeline outlining when different reforms will go live. That should be the primary reference for those seeking more information about the timing of specific CalAIM programs.