Elise Girouard NBC-HWC

What do Californians with multiple health and social needs really think about their care? We asked them directly. New research conducted by EVITARUS, "In Their Own Words: What Californians with Multiple Health and Social Needs Say About Their Care" captures the unfiltered perspectives of 99 Californians navigating complex health systems while experiencing homelessness, mental illness, substance use disorders, or functional impairments. Their message is clear: "I feel like it is different when you've got somebody that you can relate to compared to somebody that is just trying to teach you something that they read out of a book." 🔍 Key insights that should reshape how we think about CalAIM: • 97% of participants had at least two complex needs simultaneously • Trust and empathy matter as much as coordination • Basic needs (housing, food) can come before health concerns • You shouldn't need to be in crisis to access services • One-stop care locations could be game-changing, and until we get there, navigation is crucial The research reveals both universal needs and persistent barriers. But it also shows us exactly what works — and what doesn't — from the perspective of the people CalAIM is designed to serve. There is no substitute for including people with lived experience in both the workforce AND program design. Read the full report and hear directly from Californians about their care experiences in our latest CalAIM Digest. https://lnkd.in/gbRVjk3a

53

1 Comment

Incredible new research in JAMA Network Open from the Spring Health team showing that you can improve access and reduce healthcare spend 👏👏👏 The study, using one of the largest sample sizes in mental health, shows that 1 year after launching Spring Health, 47% more employees accessed behavioral health care. Whats more is that every $1 invested in the program led to nearly $2 in medical cost savings, proving that better access doesn’t have to mean higher costs. And when people get the right care faster, they feel better faster. Spring members recovered in as little as 8 weeks on average; a huge difference maker for those in seek of care. This is what the future of mental health care should look like. Scalable, measureable, and designed to drive real impact for both individuals and businesses. Article is open access here: https://lnkd.in/gN_fp45V Full press release here: https://lnkd.in/g_mqrrtz

120

4 Comments

Expanding access to behavioral health services requires innovative partnerships and culturally tailored approaches. In a recent podcast episode, Luis Emilio Suarez, Founder & CEO of Sanarai, and Stella Tran, Senior Program Invesment Officer at California Health Care Foundation, discussed the importance of building trust and cultural competence in this area. Luis's organization focuses on providing culturally relevant mental health services for Spanish-speaking communities, while Stella's foundation uses innovation to improve care quality and access for low-income populations. Tune in to learn how these strategies are transforming behavioral health access for underserved communities! Tune in below to listen to their full #ExpandingAccess podcast episode! #Medicaid #BehavioralHealth Behavioral Health Tech

75

6 Comments

Breastfeeding is more than a personal choice, it's a critical foundation for health. 🌎💜HOPE’s 2025 California Equity in Maternal Health Report finds that, for too many Black women and Latinas, essential support remains out of reach, nearly 1 in 4 struggle to access OB-GYN care, 36% report difficulty accessing midwife or doula services, nearly half lack access to paid family leave, and 58% say breastfeeding and lactation counseling would have been extremely helpful during their most recent pregnancy. This #WorldBreastfeedingWeek, we uplift the call for equitable access to: ✅ Lactation counseling ✅ Paid family leave ✅ Culturally responsive care ✅ Midwifery and doula services Healthy beginnings lead to hopeful futures for families, communities, and generations to come.👶🏽 #BreastfeedingSupport #HealthEquity #MaternalEquity #BlackMaternalHealth #LatinaMaternalHealth #BirthingEquity

7