December 04, 2024
Contact: Melissa Villarin
Office: 916-327-5365
Office E-mail: MVillarin@CCCCO.edu
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A groundbreaking partnership between 12 community colleges in San Bernardino and Riverside counties and one of the nation’s largest Medicaid health plans is creating a model for getting every uninsured California community college student enrolled in Medi-Cal or Covered California.
The initiative is among more than a dozen pilot projects emanating from Vision 2030: A Roadmap for California Community Colleges, an equity-based strategic plan to guide the state’s community colleges through the end of the decade. The Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is among the nation’s largest Medicaid health plans and currently serves more than 1.5 million Inland Empire residents through more than 8,600 healthcare providers.
“Access to affordable health care will help transform the lives of thousands of students in the Inland Empire. Preventive care, timely interventions and mental health support are essential in helping students thrive. By prioritizing access to these health services, we invest in their potential and pave the way for their success in both their academic and personal lives,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian.
The strategy focuses on optimizing student engagement and increasing insurance enrollment with targeted outreach based on financial aid and basic needs data. It emphasizes leveraging on-campus events to enroll students in Medicaid or Covered California.
The plan aims to enhance on-campus preventative health care by fostering collaborative efforts to provide services and encouraging students to take a proactive approach to managing their health. The initiative aims to expand health care by streamlining the provider enrollment process and strengthening community partnerships.
“By eliminating barriers to much-needed health care, we are continuing to make good on our promise to invest in the continuous well-being of the Inland Empire,” said IEHP Chief Executive Officer Jarrod McNaughton.
The demonstration project has the potential for saving lives. More than half of Californians responding to a California Health Care Foundation survey say they’ve skipped or delayed health care in the previous year due to cost, and half of those said that skipping care made their condition worse.
The stakes for the 164,000 students attending the 12 community colleges stretching from Barstow to Riverside are enormous. Approximately 93,000 of those students are considered economically disadvantaged. Nearly half – 48% –struggle to feed themselves. More than 6 in 10 are facing housing insecurities. Nearly 1 in 4 are homeless. And fewer than 1 in 3 of the economically disadvantaged students are signed up for Medicaid or Covered California.
“College students have a lot on their mind. One thing they shouldn’t need to worry about is their ability to get care when they need it,” said Kim Johnson, Secretary of the California Health & Human Services Agency. “Affordable health coverage for students is essential to making sure illness, injury, or behavioral health needs don’t get overlooked or ignored, and costly out of pocket medical expenses are avoided.”
The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and Board of Governors unveiled the latest details about the demonstration project at a previous meeting at San Bernardino Valley College.
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; and degree and certificate pathways. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision 2030, a strategic plan designed to improve student success, our communities and our planet. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
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