VHF, utilizing funds from the SVCF Community Lifeline Fund, will award grants to health providers, enrollment entities, CBOs, schools and other eligible organizations to implement innovative rapid response strategies to mitigate loss of coverage for vulnerable populations with a focus on retention, renewals, redetermination and preserving access to primary and preventative care for individuals barred from enrollment.

Projects will be funded for a six-month implementation period to deploy innovative, evidence-based, and community-focused strategies to preserve access to healthcare.

Desired Objectives:

Given the unprecedented threats to Medi-Cal coverage, VHF is interested in supporting local efforts that help mitigate coverage loss for communities at risk of disenrollment, which could include outreach, education, and enrollment activities to assist with annual Medi-Cal renewals, enrollment, and preserving access and preventative care for individuals barred from enrollment.  Activities would include efforts to preserve access to medical care and mental health care. Such efforts could include (but are not limited to):

• Community-based outreach (e.g., community health workers or promotoras) to assist with annual renewals, re-enrollment, or connection to health services
• Community or school-based education to families about the upcoming changes to Medi-Cal, who is impacted, and how to maintain coverage
• Partner with County Social Services to support redetermination activities and/or assist with the implementation of any statewide initiatives to support education and engagement with Medi-Cal enrollees regarding changes to eligibility, work requirements, and reporting
• Expand non-clinical staff, such as community health workers (CHWs) or care coordinators, at clinics or other facilities to assist families with Medi-Cal enrollment and related questions about eligibility
• Implement grassroots and community-based approaches to support residents in accessing care, coverage, resources, information or support to help meet health needs (e.g. informal transportation or medication delivery networks)
• Establish referral systems or activities to help Medi-Cal enrollees meet work requirement hours to retain coverage including paid employment, education or volunteer hours, including for populations with employment barriers such as undocumented immigrants
• Other innovative, evidence-based and community-focused strategies to preserve access to healthcare.

The Community Lifeline - Access to Healthcare Grant Program has been made possible in part by a grant from Silicon Valley Community Foundation.