$2.2 Million Dollars in Grants from Health Net to Improve Whole-Person Health for Sacramento County Residents Experiencing Homelessness
Date: 07/06/23
In collaboration with Continuum of Cares across the state, Health Net will help deliver housing and services to meet the needs of California's most vulnerable residents.
Sacramento, California (July 6, 2023) – Today, Health Net announced the company will award $2.2 million dollars in grants to support Sacramento County's unhoused residents with housing and other services. These funds will support local Continuum of Care (CoC) programs. A CoC is a regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and other services for homeless families and individuals.
"Health Net's efforts to increase the quality of life for Californian's experiencing homelessness is a testament to our dedication to the communities we serve," said Medi-Cal President at Health Net, Martha Santana-Chin. "We are proud to provide these funds for Sacramento County residents to support them on their path to health and wellbeing."
The grants will fund work which may include, but is not limited to:
- Partnership and capacity to support referrals for services, including:
- Connection and integration with the local homeless Coordinated Entry System
- Identifying and addressing barriers to providing medically appropriate and cost-effective housing – related to Community Supports
- Infrastructure to coordinate and meet member housing needs, including:
- Connection with Street Medicine teams
- Health Net connection with the local Homeless Management Information System
- Managed Care Plan process for tracking and managing referrals for housing-related Community Supports
- Delivery of services and member engagement, including:
- Increasing the number of Health Net members screened for homelessness or risk of homelessness
- Increasing the number of Health Net members screened for homelessness or risk of homelessness who were discharged from an inpatient setting
- Increasing the number of Health Net members experiencing homelessness receiving at least one housing-related Community Supports
"Health Net has been a dedicated partner to Sacramento County and we are grateful for their continued commitment to addressing homelessness for our most vulnerable residents," said Sacramento County Supervisor, District 2, Patrick Kennedy. "This investment not only provides financial support and protection, but also offers vital resources to individuals who may not have access to them otherwise."
"Health Net has served Californians for more than 40 years and has been an unwavering advocate for the people of Sacramento," said Sacramento County Supervisor, District 3, Rich Desmond. "Their investment will empower both individuals and families who need it most, providing a platform for them to build healthier futures."
Health Net knows that being unhoused, and the quality of one's housing, can affect a person's health and well-being. The company is proud to take these much-needed steps to improve the whole-person health for Sacramento County.
"Sacramento Steps Forward appreciates Health Net's 'All In' engagement in cross-sector coordination and support of the shared approaches to improving Sacramento's collective response to homelessness," said, Chief Executive Officer at Sacramento Steps Forward, Lisa Bates. "By making investments aligned with our local homeless response system, we are moving closer to a day when homelessness is rare or nonexistent."
Additionally, Sacramento County has been an incredible leader, collaborator and partner in implementing the state's California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative, ensuring Sacramento's most vulnerable residents have access to all innovations and reforms under CalAIM.
These partnerships continue to build on Health Net's efforts to provide wraparound care for the communities they serve. In fact, the company awarded a $100,000 grant to help enable Sacramento Street Medicine. For years this program has provided medical care to hundreds of Sacramento County's most at-risk residents, bringing care directly to those who need it most.
To learn more, visit the Health Net website.