June 12, 2026
Authored by Mike Odeh and Tamira Daniely
Cover image via iStock by Rawpixel
California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) was launched as a transformative, multiyear initiative in 2022 to expand Medi-Cal into a more integrated, whole-person system—one that addresses not just clinical needs but the social conditions that shape health. The animating idea is a “no wrong door” approach: Wherever a family enters the health system, they should be connected to the full range of supports they need to thrive. CalAIM’s expanded benefits and services — Community Supports, doula and community health workers services, Enhanced Care Management, among others — exist precisely to achieve that vision.
“CalAIM’s core bet: wrap the right services around the right people at the right time, and bend the curve on cost, health, and equity. ECM, Community Supports, In Lieu of Services, the 1115 waiver. All of it depends on finding those people first.”
Jim Hickman in CalAIM Field Notes No. 16 (April 16, 2026)
There is a significant gap, however, between CalAIM’s offerings and the frontline, on-the-ground providers best suited to find the Medi-Cal kids and families that these new benefits are for. Many providers remain unaware of the full range of benefits and services their patients could be eligible for, and may be equally unsure about how to refer or connect families to those benefits and services.
Addressing this awareness gap in pediatric and perinatal settings is especially important. The period leading up to and after a baby is born — particularly for families navigating complex medical conditions or developmental challenges — is a critical window. Connecting families to the right supports early improves health outcomes for both baby and parent and sets the foundation for long-term family stability and wellbeing.
Bridging the Gap: A New Tool for Providers
To address this gap, Children Now and the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC) partnered to reach neonatologists, nurses and other staff across all 150 NICUs in California, including coordinators from roughly 70 High-Risk Infant Follow-up (HRIF) programs across the state. The objective was to provide a foundational understanding of the CalAIM basics and what providers need to make referrals.
Out of that effort, Children Now built a new Medi-Cal CalAIM Referral Lookup tool that consolidates critical referral information in one place. A provider can search by managed care plan and/or by county to get information to make referrals. This includes (where available) plan-specific information about referrals for:
- Transportation services to help members physically get to appointments and services
- CalAIM Community Supports services to help members address health-related social needs
- Care coordination supports like Enhanced Care Management (ECM), Community Health Workers, and doula services to help members navigate services, systems, and settings
The goal is simple: cut through the complexity so more families get referrals to the care they may already be eligible for and entitled to.
To use this new Medi-Cal CalAIM Referral Lookup tool, visit here or connect with us at [email protected].
