$2.2 Million in Grants from Health Net to Improve Whole-Person Health for Sacramento County Residents Experiencing Homelessness

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, Calif., July 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 about Health Net, visit HealthNet.com.

About Health Net 

Founded in California more than 40 years ago, Health Net believes that every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. Today, we provide health plans for individuals, families, businesses of every size and people who qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare. Together with our 90,000 network providers, Health Net serves three million members across the state. We also offer access to substance abuse programs, behavioral health services, employee assistance programs and managed health care products related to prescription drugs. We make these health plans and services available through Health Net, LLC and its subsidiaries: Health Net of California, Inc., Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), a Fortune 26 company that offers affordable and high-quality products to nearly 1 in 15 individuals across the nation. Health Net and Centene employ more than 6,300 people in California who work at one of five regional Talent Hub offices. For more information, visit www.HealthNet.com.

SOURCE Health Net