As we begin a new year, we quickly realize that world around us has changed, perhaps more so than ever before in recent memory. The world-wide pandemic and domestic political and societal landscape are unstable, at best. The effects of COVD-19 are still with us. We at UniHealth, through our healthcare constituents, continue to see provider burnout on the rise, as well as retention and recruitment struggles.

Unlike previous years, we now must sift through both the positive and the negative consequences of transformative redefinitions of long-established norms. Change is often difficult and with-it uncertainty and pessimism can get in the way of successfully moving forward.

In these moments, I find it best to (re)affirm one’s values, mission, and (re)commit to improving the lives of others. UniHealth exists for the sole purpose of listening to, supporting, and strengthening those who rise to the challenges of improving the health and well-being of our diverse communities in California.

Clearly, we have not solved all the problems, but we have made inroads. We have committed significant investments to improve healthcare access for those who are or have recently lived on the streets of Los Angeles. That portion of our funding portfolio, called Pathway to Health and Home has been underway since 2018. We also have invested heavily in expanding access to mental health services, especially for youth. And our resolve has only strengthened to increase the diversity of our healthcare workforce by funding more recruitment and retention programs.

As we turn our attention to 2024, UniHealth Foundation remains committed to our mission of supporting and facilitating activities that significantly improve population and community health, our healthcare delivery systems, and expanding our healthcare workforce. We enter this year hopeful, but realistic; inspired, but judicious in our decision-making; and humble, but ready to inspire. We hope you all will join us in this effort.