Gold Coast Health Plan Awards Nearly $60,000 to Support Community Health Care Programs in Ventura County

GCHP’s first sponsorship was awarded to the National Health Foundation’s (NHF) recuperative care program. NHF is a Los Angeles-based charity focused on addressing the health care issues of underserved populations, like the homeless. The recuperative care program focuses on providing a safe environment at discharge for those who are homeless or do not have adequate shelter when they are leaving the hospital.

The program has the potential to serve as many as 275 people per year with an average length of stay of 10 to 14 days. NHF had been working on a needs assessment for Ventura County and found that about 95 out of 379 hospital patients would qualify for recuperative care every month. Their president and chief executive officer Kelly Bruno said, “NHF is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Gold Coast Health Plan to bring this much needed program to Ventura County.”

The Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC), a hospital trade association that serves the political, economic and educational needs of hospitals in southern Calif., is partnering with NHF on the project. HASC’s regional vice president for Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties Audra Strickland said, “HASC is pleased to partner with Gold Coast Health Plan and NHF to address an unmet need within our community.  This program will improve the quality of life for some of the most disadvantaged residents in Ventura County.”

GCHP’s second sponsorship was awarded to the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging’s (VCAAA) Senior Nutrition Program (SNP). The project – Nutritious Meals for Older Adults in Ventura County – is an extension of SNP and provides additional nutritionally compliant meals to seniors. VCAAA estimates that about 86,240 people in Ventura County or approximately 10% of the population in the county are food insecure: meaning they lack consistent access to adequate food due to lack of money or other resources. GCHP’s sponsorship will provide an additional 2,666 nutritionally compliant meals to seniors who reside in Ventura County through SNP.

VCAAA’s Director, Victoria Jump said, “For those who are extremely frail and vulnerable, this program helps to reduce hunger, food insecurity and promotes socialization by breaking down barriers of isolation and loneliness.”

With the approval of GCHP’s governing board, the Ventura County Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission (VCMMCC), the Plan awarded NHF $38,700 and VCAAA $20,000.