Central Coast Hospitals Provide $210582 to Local Non-Profits

Arroyo Grande Community Hospital (AGCH), which along with French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC) and Marian Regional Medical Center (MRMC) are Dignity Health Central Coast hospitals, is pleased to announce that it has awarded $210,582 in grant funding to seven collaborative projects consisting of more than twenty organizations in San Luis Obispo and North Santa Barbara County.

Representatives from each organization were invited to a breakfast on Friday, January 16, 2015 where they were presented with checks to help aid in the critical health and human services they provide to county residents.

Grants are awarded through a Community Grants Program created by Dignity Health. The intent of the annual community grant program is to help non-profit organizations with an interest in building healthier communities by improving health and living conditions. Criteria for this funding cycle were based on the following priority areas identified in the hospitals Community Benefits Report and Plan and Community Health Needs Assessment: Access to Healthcare, Emergency Room Utilization, Clinical Conditions and Mental Health.

This year, the Dignity Health Community Grants were awarded to a number of individual non-profit organizations, which together have formed programs to improve the lives of Central Coast residents. The project recipients are:

Health Service for the Homeless and Vulnerable – Project Members – Five Cities Homeless Coalition, Good Samaritan Shelter and Community Health Centers of the Central Coast

This collaborative project seeks to improve discharge planning and case management in partnership with AGCH to serve homeless patients requiring temporary respite care.  Funds will assist in providing post-hospitalization temporary respite care and shelter, follow-up health services, shelter, detox services, food provision, and introduction of health services to homeless clients who may be otherwise unaware or unable to access services. 

Collaborative Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Rapid Testing and Access Program – Project Members – SLO Aids Support Network, CAPSLO/The Center, SLO DRUG and Alcohol Services, Planned Parenthood and SLO Noor Clinic

This collaborative project increases awareness and availability of HCV testing in San Luis Obispo County through a successful collaboration between the San Luis Obispo (SLO) Hepatitis C Project and the members of the collaborative project.  

Working together to Optimize Healthy Outcomes for the Uninsured and Underinsured –Project Members – SLO Noor Foundation and Alliance for Pharmaceutical Access

This collaboration project expands the opportunity to elevate the general health of an underserved population and contribute social and economic benefits to the community by treating various medical issues and managing chronic conditions before they can escalate to more serious levels.

Building a “Community Network of Care” – Project Members – Alliance for Pharmaceutical Access, Eric Okerblom Memorial Clinic, HiCap and Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley

This collaborative project serves the uninsured, underinsured, very low, low and moderate income children, adults, families, farm workers, non-English speaking, the disabled, and senior citizens.  The network will treat individuals with no medical home and will reduce the exacerbation of chronic conditions through medication compliance. 

Guadalupe Accountable Care Community: A Parent/Community Led Movement – Project Members – Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County and THRIVE Guadalupe Family Service Center

This collaborative project will increase access to health services, support mental health needs, offer access to more community preventative services, and empower families in Guadalupe to make healthy lifestyle decisions and eliminate health disparities.

Homeless Respite Project – Project Members – Good Samaritan Shelter, Transitions Mental Health Inc. and Santa Barbara County Public Health Department

This collaborative project will provide respite services to medically vulnerable homeless individuals being discharged from MRMC. The organization provides quality medical and mental care to medically vulnerable homeless individuals.

North County HIV and Hepatitis C Prevention and Testing Program – Project Members – Pacific Pride Foundation, Community Health Centers of the Central Coast and Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, Lompoc

This collaborative project expands HIV and Hepatitis C testing, education, and harm reduction program to reduce infections in Santa Maria and Lompoc.  Identifies people in North Santa Barbara County who are HIV/Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) positive and links them to care. 

“We are so pleased to be able to allocate this funding to these collaborative projects which will assist in providing education, health care, and support to Central Coast residents,” states Kathleen Sullivan, Vice President Post Acute Care Services for Dignity Health Central Coast.  “This shared approach will make a greater impact in the community and aligns with our mission of providing care to the poor and underserved.”

About Dignity Health Central Coast

Dignity Health of the Central Coast is an integrated network of top quality hospitals, physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services including primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories and imaging centers and a full service home health agency; all recognized for quality, safety and service.  Each hospital is supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to help meet the growing health care needs of our communities. For more information visit www.arroyograndehospital.org; www.frenchmedicalcenter.org; www.marianmedicalcenter.org