YWCA of San Gabriel Valley

This funding will be directed toward reducing the mortality and/or complication rates of African American infants and mothers. Per the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH), African American pregnant mothers are 5-10% more likely to experience discrimination, 7.5% more likely to have high blood pressure, 1.8% more likely to have diabetes, 10% more likely to report depression, and are four times more likely to die than their White counterparts (LA County DPH, 2018). SGV has the highest percentage of preterm births and the second-highest percentage of low-birth-weight babies (Black Infants and Families, 2019). Thus, education, policy change and multi-sector collaborations are essential to providing access to quality care, services, and resources so that African American mothers and infants can thrive.

Term: 12 months or less
Amount: $100,000

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital

Cottage has begun to expand its CHW program with the addition of patient based CHWs. This two-year pilot program began this year with two part-time CHWs who provide post-discharge support among Hispanic/Latino patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). During hospital stays these patients are offered the support of both a Community Case Manager (CCM) and a CHW. These staff work as a team to ensure patients recover from hospitalizations and follow their care plans.

Term: 12 months or less
Amount: $100,000

Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission

Nearly half of the homeless population struggles with the challenges of mental health and substance abuse. For several years Hope the Mission supported individuals in these categories by providing external referrals to local agencies such as Tarzana Treatment Centers, Department of Mental Health, The Village Family Services, and Olive View Medical Center. However, the increased need for mental health support and COVID-19 had a great impact on the time frame from when a referral would be placed, to when an individual was connected to services and could begin receiving therapy. This delay could range from 1-2 months that led to a negative impact to the participants that ranging from an increase of a client’s deterioration or a delay in a clients behavioral and mental progress to stabilization and permanent housing.

Term: 24 months
Amount: $300,000

California Science Center Foundation

The California Science Center Foundation respectfully requests $50,000 from the UniHealth Foundation in support of our Science Live! demonstration programs, which expand upon the scientific principles illustrated in our permanent exhibit galleries and special exhibitions. Educators facilitate fun, hands-on interactions with individuals and small groups of guests throughout the Science Center. Each 10-15 minute presentation is designed to enable educators to adapt to the learning level, interest and needs of the participants. In addition to cart- and station-based demonstrations for small groups, Science Live! also includes interactive, theatre-style presentations for larger audiences.

Term: 12 months or less
Amount: $50,000

ALS Association Golden West Chapter

The Golden West Chapter seeks funding to launch an ALS satellite clinic program in Santa Barbara for people diagnosed, or confirming a diagnosis of ALS, who live in California’s Central Coast region. The Chapter is affiliated with more than 25 multidisciplinary ALS clinics, including many that we incubated. Since 2005, the Chapter has partnered with the ALS Clinic at UCSF, a Certified Treatment Center of Excellence, to provide satellite clinic services in geographic areas that lack ALS specialists or clinic programs.

Term: 12 months or less
Amount: $100,000

Union Station Homeless Services

Union Station Homeless Services is committed to addressing hunger and food insecurity for families and individuals in Los Angeles County’s San Gabriel Valley who are experiencing homelessness, at-risk of homelessness or formerly homeless. We know that it is extremely difficult for our clients to make progress toward permanent housing when their basic needs, such as consistent access to nutritious food, are not met. Our meals fill hungry stomachs, but they achieve so much more; they promote social-emotional well-being, build trust, and engage the broader community beyond our participants, which is particularly critical now as we manage the repercussions of the pandemic.

Term: 12 months or less
Amount: $50,000

LA Family Housing

LAFH requests support for mental health and substance use programming at our Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) sites. PSH combines the stability of a permanent home with case management and coordinated services to better support high-acuity people who may not otherwise maintain housing. PSH residents are likely to have experienced chronic bouts of homelessness and have a substance use or mental health disorder, physical disability, or any combination, all of which make it harder to maintain housing. Due to the stressors of homelessness, people experiencing homelessness have a significantly reduced life expectancy (42-52 years, compared to nearly 80 years for housed populations) and show signs of aging far earlier than their housed counterparts. Last year, LAFH served 540 PSH participants ages 55+ and 399 65+. Given the vulnerabilities of older adults experiencing homelessness, we will work to increase their engagement in PSH services.

Term: 24 months
Amount: $300,000

SCAN GROUP

Healthcare in Action requests funds to expand its existing street medicine program in Los Angeles County. With UniHealth's help, Healthcare in Action was able to launch 3 street medicine teams in Los Angeles County in 2022, one based in the Long Beach area and another based in the West Hollywood area (that was specifically supported by UniHealth funds). Healthcare in Action is in the process of launching a 3rd street team that will focus on providing medical services at interim housing sites, shelters, and other facilities that unhoused populations frequent. To launch these teams, Healthcare in Action required grant support to purchase initial supplies, and to cover the first few months of staff time during training and program launch.

Term: 12 months or less
Amount: $250,000

ST JOSEPH CENTER

This project will improve health outcomes for medically fragile homeless and recently housed clients of St. Joseph Center’s Homeless Service Center (HSC). HSC is one of only two access centers serving 6,000 people experiencing homelessness on the Westside of Los Angeles. With the support of the UniHealth Foundation, SJC will expand access to medical care, housing services, and emergency/recuperative housing for people experiencing homelessness who are not only extremely vulnerable to illness and injury, but often uninsured and facing significant financial barriers to receiving care.

Term: 36 months
Amount: $350,000

Meals on Wheels West

Our Delivering More Than a Meal program provides dietician certified fresh meals and a daily Wellness Check to the most vulnerable homebound community members of L.A. County. These community members consist of seniors, veterans of all ages, physically or mentally disabled individuals, formerly homeless newly housed, and those recently released from the hospital; all who do not have the capability and/or resources to be able to purchase or prepare meals on their own. Most of the clients we serve are low income or fall below the poverty line and currently 95% of our total client count receives subsidized meals though our program.

Term: 12 months or less
Amount: $50,000

HEALTHRIGHT 360

Food insecurity is a major national health problem and underrecognized social determinant of health. Lack of access to food creates a substantial burden on our society through healthcare and social costs. People experiencing food insecurity often consume a nutrient-poor diet contributing to chronic diseases. Public health officials cite ‘nutrition insecurity’ as a pressing need and advocate for action. Low-income families might postpone needed medical care and medications to buy food that may lead to avoidable hospitalizations.

Term: 24 months
Amount: $300,000

The L.A. Trust

Youth mental health support is a critical need in our communities. Pre-pandemic, LAUSD students presented with extraordinary mental health needs, reporting high levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidality in LAUSD surveys. Research suggests that the isolation and collective trauma of the COVID-19 crisis have further worsened youth mental health. Concerns have drastically increased among school and WC staff, community partners, and students as well as national organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, which declared a national state of emergency in child and adolescent mental health in 2021.

Term: 24 months
Amount: $150,000

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

CHLA opened a Behavioral Health Institute to help more youth (ages 0-21) in Greater Los Angeles get the behavioral health care they need when they need it. The Institute focuses on integrated, science-driven care that promotes the optimal development of children’s cognitive, behavioral and emotional health. Services are provided in-person and via telehealth based on the unique needs and potential of each child and family.

Term: 12 months or less
Amount: $25,000