California is at the forefront of national public health initiatives, reshaping Medi-Cal to encompass a wide array of services extending beyond traditional medical settings. 

In a media briefing on April 11, hosted by Ethnic Media Services, a panel of experts delved into how the evolution of Medi-Cal is positively impacting the lives of its members.

Speakers

  • Sarah Brooks, Deputy Director for Health Care Programs, California Department of Health Care Services
  • Rachelle Grant, Senior Clinical Director, Pacific Clinics
  • Agnes Hajek, Director of Health Equity Services, Somali Family Services of San Diego
  • Mari Perez-Ruiz, Executive Director/Board Chair, Central Valley Empowerment Alliance 
  • Angelica Rodriguez, Program Manager, Umma Community Clinic
  • Aide Hernandez, Rural Health Equity Community Organizer, with Central Valley Empowerment Alliance

During the first of six planned briefings supported by DHCS, the speakers highlighted how Medi-Cal is narrowing health disparities by offering new services that transcend conventional medical care. These services include housing assistance, home modifications for accessibility, in-home care, sobering centers, asthma management, and medically tailored nutritious meals.

What’s New?

This transformation is now reaching 15 million Californians, roughly one-third of the population enrolled in Medi-Cal, through Community Supports services and the Enhanced Care Management (ECM) benefit.

Community Supports aim to keep individuals out of expensive emergency rooms or institutions by providing assistance tailored to their specific needs in their homes and communities. ECM, on the other hand, supports Medi-Cal members with complex physical, mental, or social needs by assigning them a dedicated care manager to help navigate various services.

Particularly at-risk individuals, including people experiencing homelessness, foster youth, pregnant women, children, adults at risk for long-term care institutionalization and people transitioning from nursing home care facilities back into the community.

Sarah Brooks emphasized the importance of these initiatives in simplifying and broadening access to care across the state. She highlighted the focus on assisting individuals to live independently and safely at home, regardless of their location, language, or the complexity of their needs.

The Expanding of Medi-Cal

Rachelle Grant lauded California’s investment in healthcare accessibility, noting the significant increase in referrals to their organization since the introduction of ECM. Pacific Clinics now offers ECM and Community Supports services in 20 counties, providing a range of assistance including housing services (loans of up to six grand), substance abuse treatment, and rehabilitation programs.

Agnes Hajek asserted that the pandemic told us “community health workers who speak the language, who are trusted by the community, are the first responders for linguistically or culturally isolated people.”

Angelica Rodriguez highlighted the challenges faced by underserved communities in accessing healthcare and expressed appreciation for the expanded services now available. Rodriguez grew up in Los Angles with Mexican immigrant parents, seeing “firsthand the barriers our community can face when trying to access care.” 

Mari Perez-Ruiz stressed the significance of the geographical barriers and lack of public transportation, particularly in rural areas. Through partnerships with local health agencies, CVEA is able to deliver essential services directly to rural communities, addressing unmet needs and improving health outcomes.

Aide Hernandez underscored the life-changing impact of connecting families to expanded healthcare services, noting that many individuals only discover serious health conditions after receiving preventive care. Through community outreach efforts, Hernandez and her team are working to ensure that underserved populations have access to the care they need to lead healthier lives.