Advancing the integration of primary, substance use and mental health services has been a core strategy of the health grantmaking at the California Community Foundation (CCF). CCF is a community foundation focused on leading positive systemic change that strengthens Los Angeles communities.  Integration of essential health benefits was a cornerstone of the Affordable Care Act and remains an important feature of the innovations and transformations being implemented under successive state Medicaid waivers. There are over 14.5 million Medicaid beneficiaries in California, with approximately one-third residing in Los Angeles County. Since 2015 the foundation has supported efforts to build financial capacity for Drug Medicaid services, advocate for youth-centered design of Medicaid programs and to pilot harm reduction programs. One example of CCF’s investments includes funding the Youth Services Policy Group which consists of almost two dozen youth services providers addressing substance use. This group meets bi-monthly to develop positions and advocate for policies that increase youth access and youth-focused improvements in publicly funded services. A past success was the negotiation of increased reimbursable hours to be able to engage youth in care. A second example is support for a pilot on the delivery of overdose prevention education to community members and training on naloxone administration for law enforcement and public safety staff. This pilot also supported a local county office in developing overdose prevention practices for people recently released from incarceration. During the COVID-19 pandemic CCF funds also enabled local federally qualified health centers to provide substance use treatment access to community members who were temporarily housed as part of Project Roomkey.

For more information on the California Community Foundation or to speak with a program officer please contact Rose Veniegas, Ph.D. at rveniegas@calfund.org.