Santa Cruz County, CA — Community Bridges is excited to announce that it was recently awarded nearly half a million dollars in multi-year grant funding by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to help build capacity and infrastructure in Medi-Cal’s delivery system and better address the complex issues impacting the communities the agency serves.
The grant will help expand case management services for older adults in Santa Cruz County with medically complex needs through a three-person team of social workers that will work with Central California Alliance for Health (CCAH) eligible clients who would benefit from additional support to improve their health care outcomes.
“We are extremely excited to support increased access to services and support to ensure every community member has the opportunity to succeed and thrive in their own medical care,” said Community Bridges CEO Raymon Cancino.
Along with focusing on health, systems support, and basic needs, the team will also ensure that clients with both medically complex cases and longstanding and co-occurring issues such as homelessness, mental health, and substance abuse receive the additional clinical support they need.
DHCS announced on January 31st that it had awarded $119 million in funding to 98 organizations through Providing Access and Transforming Health’s (PATH) initial round of Capacity and Infrastructure, Transition, Expansion, and Development (CITED) Initiative funding across the state.
PATH CITED funds will be used toward increasing the provider workforce, and investing in infrastructure and IT systems to support the delivery of Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports.
ECM will be operating out of Elderday Adult Day Health Care, a program of Community Bridges, which will also help identify and connect eligible clients with the Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) program headquartered in Santa Cruz. Elderday’s medical model outpatient day program provides care for older adults with complex medical conditions, and people with disabilities. The organization serves about 150 of Santa Cruz County’s most vulnerable residents annually, and having an CBAS program to refer clients to is critically important to the new program’s success.
The PATH program is comprised of multiple aligned initiatives that will provide funding, tools, technical support, and resources to Medi-Cal providers. This includes community-based organizations (CBOs), counties, Tribes, local governmental entities, and other community partners to support the implementation of California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM), an initiative that seeks to transform and strengthen Medi-Cal, offering Californians a more equitable, coordinated, and person-centered approach to medical care.
“Today’s awards will help new providers and organizations develop the capacity to participate in the Medi-Cal health care delivery system, expanding the networks of Community Supports and Enhanced Care Management benefit providers who will be available to serve Medi-Cal members,” said DHCS Director Michelle Baass said in a January 31st press release. “CITED funds will be used to strengthen capacity and infrastructure statewide, particularly among providers and CBOs that have historically been under-resourced.”
The PATH CITED initiative originally intended to award $100 million to eligible entities, but in order to further support the development of CalAIM infrastructure, and in response to the large volume of requests received in Round 1, DHCS is adjusting the Round 1 allocation to approximately $250 million for two Round 1 announcements: Round 1A and Round 1B. Both Round 1A and Round 1B awardees were selected from the current Round 1 applicant pool. Round 1B will be announced no later than March 2023. The CITED initiative will provide $580 million in total funding, and the next application window will open in February 2023.
For more information about the PATH initiative, as well as other CITED rounds of funding, please visit the PATH website.
About Community Bridges
Community Bridges envisions a thriving community where every person has the opportunity to unleash their full potential. Together, our family of programs delivers essential services, provides equitable access to resources, and advocates for health and dignity across every stage of life. To learn more, please visit www.communitybridges.org.
About Elderday
Elderday is an adult day health care center that allows older adults and people with disabilities to live at home with independence and dignity. At Elderday, participants benefit from nursing care, physical and occupational therapies, referral to resources, therapeutic activities, healthy meals and access to onsite mental health and nutrition services. Week-day hours make it possible for participants to stay independent and in their own homes for as long as possible, while offering family members and caregivers well-deserved respite. Elderday is free for those eligible for Medi-Cal. Costs can also be covered by the Veteran’s Administration, long-term care insurance, or private pay on a sliding scale. Transportation to the center is also provided.
