Governor Newsom Gives Stamp of Approval to ACHs
California State Budget Includes $15 Million for ‘Accountable Communities for Health’
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — Acknowledging the initial success and potential of Accountable Communities for Health (ACH), Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday approved a $15 million budget line item that will fuel expansion of this groundbreaking approach to shape community health over the next three years.
“Each of California’s existing 13 ACH communities offer a promising glimpse into the innovative ways we can bring people together to improve the health of all our communities,” said Dr. Robert K. Ross, president and CEO, The California Endowment. “Diverse communities are coming together—health care providers and governments, nonprofits and businesses, faith and community groups, and most importantly, residents—putting aside their differences, forging new relationships and uniting to solve problems.”
The budget item, sponsored by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno), Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, will be distributed as a grant by the California Department of Public Health to the California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative (CACHI). It will provide an additional three years of support to the founding class of thirteen ACH communities, as well as seed funding for up to 25 more ACH communities located in jurisdictions most affected by inequities across the state. The funds will also leverage additional public-private financing for CACHI and individual ACH operations.
What’s so special about an ACH? ACHs recognize that no single program, organization, or sector can change a system, prevent disease or elevate health equity on its own. ACHs provide the essential civic infrastructure and community connections necessary to successfully:
Catalyze alignment between sectors, promote innovation and encourage new ways of working together to minimize siloed, program-by-program approaches
Level the playing field between community and institutional players to give residents a strong voice and equity in decision-making
Provide the means for collective accountability, ensuring sustainable systems change
“ACHs tackle big complex problems by bringing people together,” said Assemblymember Arambula. “ACHs are just what California needs to improve health equity and strengthen communities, all while modeling what a transformed health systems looks like.”
According to research, up to 90% of a person’s health can be attributed to social and environmental factors. ACHs help coordinate the community resources necessary to address those complex, nebulous factors, many of which have historically been ignored by the health care system. This new approach has led to significant progress and innovation, including:
Fresno Community Health Improvement Partnership: FCHIP, in partnership with Saint Agnes Medical Center, created the Fresno County Trauma-Informed Network of Care and is one of eight counties to have received a $2.6M ACEs Aware implementation grant
San Diego Accountable Community for Health: San Diego launched Neighborhood Networks, a program that links managed care plans with community-based organizations to bring community health workers into residents’ homes to address a variety of social needs
East San José Prevention Efforts Advance Community Equity (PEACE) Partnership: Because of the leadership of East San Jose residents, PEACE prioritized securing funds for residents who were ineligible for federal COVID funding
The thirteen founding ACH communities include Fresno, Humboldt County, Imperial County, Lake County, Boyle Heights, Long Beach, San Gabriel Valley, Merced County, San Diego County, East San José, Sonoma County, South Stockton and West Sacramento. Future sites will feature neighborhoods, cities and counties from across California, particularly in lower-income communities of color.
“CACHI is proud of the progress made by local ACHs and grateful for the support of the State of California and all seven of our foundation partners,” said Barbara Masters, Director of CACHI. “We look forward to continuing our work together, to scale ACHs to help transform the health system and our communities, and advance health equity.”
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California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative, organizational sponsor of the budget item, was founded with support from The California Endowment, Blue Shield of California Foundation, The California Wellness Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Sierra Health Foundation, Social Impact Exchange, and Well Being Trust. CACHI receives administrative support from Community Partners, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit intermediary organization. To learn more about the thirteen ACHs and the California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative, visit www.cachi.org.