For more than 40 years, Townspeople has been a trusted provider of affordable and emergency housing, housing navigation, and case management for medically vulnerable San Diegans experiencing homelessness, including individuals living with HIV/AIDS and other complex health needs.
As California advances Medi-Cal transformation under California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM), Townspeople saw an opportunity to deepen its mission of delivering lasting housing stability.
Over a six-month period, Townspeople partnered with 43 Strategic Consulting through the Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) Technical Assistance (TA) Marketplace to prepare for participation in CalAIM. Together, the teams worked to understand Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) policies and expectations, explore Hub partnership options, and develop a clear roadmap for launching Housing Trio services (Housing Transition Navigation Services, Housing Deposits, and Housing Tenancy and Sustaining Services).
“Our partnership with 43 Strategic Consulting provided reassurance during a time of major organizational change at Townspeople,” said Executive Director Melissa Peterman. ”Having experienced partners alongside my Townspeople team increased our confidence to move forward with such a significant new initiative and helped ensure that no critical steps were overlooked.”
Added Stacey Drew, Director of Supportive Services, ”The hands-on technical assistance made implementation feel achievable. By cocreating the strategy, operational plan, and staff training approach, we were able to prepare our workforce, referral partners, and internal systems for Community Supports services delivery.”
A key moment in the partnership was a dedicated two-day, in-person visit from the 43 Strategic Consulting team. During this visit, consultants led an interactive presentation for the Townspeople Board of Directors, providing clear, accessible information about CalAIM, Community Supports, and Hub partnerships. The session helped board members understand key decision points, potential benefits, and financial considerations related to CalAIM participation.
Thanks to support received through the PATH TA Marketplace, Townspeople entered contract negotiations with a Hub and is on track to launch Housing Trio services in early 2026. This milestone marks an important step forward in expanding housing-related Community Supports for Medi-Cal members in San Diego, while strengthening Townspeople’s long-term sustainability and impact.
Townspeople credits the success of the partnership to the well-rounded expertise of their TA Marketplace vendor, 43 Strategic Consulting, noting that each consultant brought a unique and valuable perspective to planning and implementation. Together, they provided what Townspeople described as a “one-stop shop” for turning vision into action.
Through the PATH TA Marketplace, Townspeople transformed a shared priority of its leadership team and board into a real, actionable program. With expert guidance and hands-on support, the organization is now positioned to expand its services, deepen partnerships, and continue serving as a pillar of support for San Diegans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Would free coding and billing, client outreach and enrollment, program development, CalAIM implementation and monitoring, and other technical assistance services help your organization meet its Medi-Cal needs?