From the moment you submit a referral to the first day of care — here's exactly what happens when you choose Divine Agape for CalAIM PCHS or Respite services.
There are two ways to get started with PCHS or Respite services through Divine Agape. Choose the one that fits your situation.
If you are a hospital social worker, care manager, ECM lead, discharge planner, or other provider, use our referral form to send a client directly to our team. We'll take it from there.
Submit a ReferralIf you or your loved one wants to start the process on your own, use our intake form to share your information with our team — or contact your Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan directly to submit a self-referral for Community Supports.
Get Started TodayPrefer to go through your plan? If you'd rather self-refer through your Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan, call the Member Services number on the back of your Medi-Cal card and ask about Personal Care and Home Supports (PCHS) or Caregiver Respite. Once authorized, request Divine Agape Health Care Agency as your provider.
Once a referral is submitted, here is exactly what happens.
Our intake team receives your referral and reviews the client's information — including Medi-Cal plan, county, and care needs. We confirm that we are contracted with the client's Managed Care Plan and that PCHS or Respite services are available in their area.
If we are not contracted with the client's plan, we will let you or the client know and help point you toward an appropriate alternative provider.
Within 1 business day of referral receiptA member of our team — or a designated assessor — conducts an in-home functional assessment. This visit evaluates the client's ability to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), identifies safety concerns in the home environment, and documents the level and type of care needed.
This assessment is used to support the Treatment Authorization Request (TAR) submitted to the Managed Care Plan and ensures we match the right caregiver to the client's specific needs and personality.
Typically within 2–5 days of referralWe submit an authorization request form to the Managed Care Plan on the client's behalf. The plan reviews the request and issues an authorization decision.
Standard authorization typically takes 3–7 business days. Expedited requests — such as post-discharge situations — may be processed within 24–72 hours.
3–7 business days (standard) · 24–72 hours (expedited)While authorization is processing, we don't wait — we begin the caregiver matching process. Based on the assessment findings, we identify caregivers on our team whose skills, availability, language, and temperament are the best fit for the client.
Matching considers: specific care needs (ADLs, IADLs), preferred language and cultural background, the client's personality and preferences, and geographic proximity to minimize commute time.
During the authorization window — ready to deploy on approvalOnce the Managed Care Plan approves the authorization, we finalize the care schedule with the client and family. The assigned caregiver is introduced — either in person or by phone — before the first visit so the client knows who to expect at their door.
Schedule confirmed within 1 business day of authorization approvalYour caregiver arrives, care begins, and we stay in close contact. Our supervisors conduct regular check-ins with both the client and the caregiver. If needs change, we update the care plan and coordinate with the MCP for adjusted authorizations as needed.
Families can reach our team anytime during office hours, and we maintain on-call support after hours for current clients.
Ongoing — with regular supervisor check-ins