CIN Community,

Last month, CIN hosted our 25 partner organizations for in-person discussions about how social service and health care organizations have successfully collaborated to embrace a more expansive view of health – through various supportive wrap-around services and person-centered care coordination.

This gathering of over 60 people from across California enabled them to connect deeply on their achievements and ongoing challenges as they implement many aspects of CalAIM in their local communities. The energy in the room was palpable and served as a great reminder that connecting people is the utmost reward when building community.

Here at Healthforce Center, which operates CIN, we are seeking two new staff for open positions: program manager and senior program manager. These are excellent growth opportunities and will support programs to improve health care delivery. Thanks for spreading the word and sending strong candidates our way!

While many organizations recognize the urgency of addressing inequities in health, efforts to do so are often slow, incremental, or incomplete. The health care system at large struggles to incorporate end users in co-design processes.

Dr. Stella Safo, an HIV primary care physician and founder of Just Equity for Health (JEH), promotes the value of co-creation between health systems and community-based groups to address the social drivers of health and bring about meaningful structural change. Three key approaches are:

For such collaborations to succeed, partners must employ a systems-thinking approach and ensure that the voices of the people most impacted are heard, centered, and addressed.

See the complete writeup of this presentation and watch the video of Safo's keynote at a CIN partner meeting last year.

Imagine struggling with depression and finally finding a phone number to call for help. After battling through the self-doubt and stigma, you dial the number. When someone answers, they don’t speak your language and there are delays to connect you with someone who does. You’re confronted with a barrage of questions about insurance coverage, and when you finally talk to an appointment scheduler, they hang up on you.

Despite the huge number of primarily Spanish-speaking Californians, our systems continue to sorely underserve this population. But for patients telephoning CIN partner organization Salud Para La Gente, “Press ‘1’ for Spanish” is not just a menu option but a key to connecting with bilingual and bicultural staff. Of the 450 staff members at Salud, nearly all in-clinic positions require bilingual and bicultural qualifications, which help patients access services seamlessly in a language they understand.

Read how Salud Para La Gente has prioritized meeting the demand for mental health services for their community members who have limited English proficiency despite the escalating rates of need.

Staying Competitive with Equitable Compensation and Benefits

Now more than ever, health care employers must prepare and plan to ensure workforce satisfaction and gain a competitive edge. Learn how to be an employer of choice by creating competitive pay grades and stay far ahead of the minimum wage for California’s health care workers. Join experts to discuss how equitable compensation structures both attract and retain staff. In addition, explore options for affordable dependent health coverage for staff. This course is presented by CIN partner Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC).

Skillful managers are the backbone of any organization and a key determinant of staff longevity. In this intensive five-week course, participants develop their supervisorial knowledge and skills, practice in breakout groups, participate in hands-on exercises, and discuss crucial issues in engaging, managing, and retaining health center staff. It is recommended for managers and supervisors with 18 months or less of supervisory experience or for those with more experience seeking a refresher. The course is complimentary for members and affiliates of CIN partner Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC).

In November 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released new guidance to support states seeking to cover services that address health-related social needs (HRSN) through Medicaid. This guidance can assist states in providing more comprehensive care for individuals experiencing homelessness, children, pregnant people, and older adults.

This Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) Policy Cheat Sheet explores common questions from state Medicaid agencies seeking to improve HRSN services and examines what the November 2023 guidance means for them. It offers lessons to help state Medicaid agencies in identifying appropriate federal authorities to support new HRSN services.

Organizations looking to boost their staffing and services with community health workers are encouraged to check out this great new opportunity. PHI’s AC Care Alliance (ACCA) is offering free trainings to develop people’s skills in several core areas that will help with chronic care, serious illness, and mental health. The curriculum also includes personal coaching and incentives of up to $2,750. The sessions are specific to geographic regions across California and dates vary, with some sessions starting immediately.

Inclusive leadership, embraced by top executives as well as department and team leaders, may be the secret sauce to organizational success and endurance. During this time of high burnout among health care and social service employees alike, organizations are digging deep to understand how best to recruit, retain, and nurture their staffs.

While compensation is important, CIN heard recently from Lisa Countryman-Quiroz of JVS that an organization’s tangible values and workplace culture also matter. She spoke to the many ways that leaders can cultivate a culture of humility, support, and care in the workplace to make a difference in the stress experienced by staff.

Themes that Countryman-Quiroz touched on are repeated in a short article from the Center for Health Care Strategies: “Inclusive leadership creates safe and brave spaces where colleagues can take risks, offer input, and feel a sense of belonging within the organization based on who they are, not only what they do.”

Read more about how inclusive leaders function by increasing self-awareness, assessing employee satisfaction, and creating opportunities for connection.