News & Updates

This issue includes highlights from our September Steering Committee meeting and updates on recent activities that support the delivery of whole person care across Alameda County.

We have an opportunity to deliver a more coordinated approach to care and services that will ultimately lead to optimal independence and health for our consumers.

During the COVID19 pandemic, Whole Person Care (WPC) staff was heavily engaged and involved with Alameda County’s COVID-19 emergency response. This was an opportunity for WPC to create more non-congregate shelter settings for homeless individuals and households that need to quarantine or isolate. Housing sector leaders and providers collaborate and coordinate Project Homekey and Whole […]

The Alameda County Care Connect whole person care population now includes individuals who have been recently released from institutions or are justice-involved.

Panelist discussion on successful reentry, with Dr. Dennis Hsieh, John Jones and Chief Wendy Still.

Partner Update August 2020 Newsletter

We’re so pleased to restart our updates! Partner Update July 2020 Newsletter

Ensuring Re-entry Success with Chief Wendy Still Steering Committee Presentation August 2020

Alameda County Care Connect initiated the Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) Frequent Utilizers Pilot to enable providers from different systems to work together to help consumers achieve optimal health. Executive Summary Dissemination Brief

Sustainability and Policy Updates  

Sustainability and Policy Updates  

Care Community  

Alameda awarded $42,765,680 from No Place Like Home (NPLH) to build 175 units of affordable housing. All CHCN clinics have signed Data Sharing Agreements. 54 consumers participate in County Probation focus group. Health Homes launched. First Care Community kicks off. Provider Connect launches.

Milestones update

Sustainability Planning Process  

Enrollment in Care Management Service Bundles nearly doubles, document readiness campaign launched, and Care Coordination Academy evaluation found participants appreciate network, learn skills pertinent to their current roles.  

Sustainability Steering Committee Prep

Collective vision of Care Coordination.

View Housing Solutions for Health Information Kit   Alameda County is facing a housing crisis that has a profound impact on the health of its 1.6 million residents. Fifty-three percent of our residents pay more than 30 percent of their income toward housing costs, and 25 percent have at least one of four severe housing […]

Alameda County Convenes Stakeholders to Discuss Street Medicine Programs for the Homeless; AC Care Connect Explores Expanded Street Medicine   Service providers from throughout the region including program directors, physicians, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners, attended the Alameda County Street Medicine Symposium on September 27th convened by Care Connect, Health Care for the Homeless, and Bright […]

View Presentation   Alameda County has model of health care for people who are experiencing homelessness that is attracting the hardest to reach consumers. The Trust Health Center in downtown Oakland reaches the most vulnerable and underserved population with primary care, case management, housing coordination, psychiatry, health coaching, and group activities, such as expressive art […]

View Community Update   Alameda County Care Connect released a special update on homelessness. In fiscal year 2017/2018, a total of 11,415 people were served by the system. Within this population, 1,468 people secured housing. 97 percent of the people in permanent supportive housing remained housed. Partners in the effort to end homelessness include the Alameda […]

Behavioral Health Care Services (BHCS) recently launched the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) Waiver. The DMC-ODS pilot expands residential treatment, as well as detox, case management, and recovery residence/sober living environments. A 24 hours a day/7 days a week Substance Use Treatment and Referral Helpline: 1-844-682-7215 is now available. BHCS/SUD is working closely with […]

A series of workshops are offered to Alameda County residents by Bay Area Legal Aid at no charge and free legal advice about housing rights is available. During the workshops, housing attorneys will offer a “know-your-rights” training on evictions, domestic violence and housing, landlord harassment, rent control and eviction control, and subsidized housing issues. Attorneys will […]

  Alameda County Care Connect is pleased to present the 2018 Consumer and Family Fellows. We received strong interest in the fellowship and selected nine fellows with direct lived experience in the public health, behavioral health, criminal justice, housing, and child welfare systems. A year-long fellowship, Fellows will take part in monthly trainings and work […]

  The Alameda County Community Health Record (CHR), scheduled to launch in mid-2019, is a groundbreaking innovation to improve care for Alameda County residents who face the most difficult combination of physical health, mental health, housing, and social challenges. Over the next year, Alameda County Care Connect will work with partners to implement the CHR […]

  Behavioral Health Care Services (BHCS) launched the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) Waiver on July 1st. The DMC-ODS pilot expands residential treatment, as well as detox, case management, and recovery residence/sober living environments. A 24 hours a day/7 days a week Substance Use Treatment and Referral Helpline: 1-844-682-7215 is now available. BHCS/SUD is […]

Four key resources are being offered to AC Care Connect Consumers: Care Management, Housing Navigation, Housing Counseling, and Housing Legal Advice.

January and February roadmap milestones update and looking to the future.

Care coordination academy established: The Skills Development Unit (SDU) is refining the strategic organization of training modules to ensure education is clear and streamlined for provider partners.

Enrollment strategies, expanded services for 2019-2020, Prototype CHR, and the Data Exchange Unit are a few of the topics discussed.

Providers say unmet social needs – like access to nutritious food, transportation assistance and housing assistance – are leading to worse health for many consumers. Whole person care closes gaps in the safety net by connecting health, behavioral health, and social services in a consumer-centered manner that improves outcomes and manages resources more effectively and […]

Whole person care requires integrated, holistic, person-centered, culturally-affirming care that brings together physical, mental health, and substance use treatment services along with resources and supports to impact social determinants of health. Care coordinators are community builders working to create integrated care teams and resources to meet the needs of their clients. Care Connect is building […]

Where do people who are experiencing homelessness go when they are released from the hospital and need continued care for optimal health? This among many other questions are being explored.  

The goal is to improve the experience and outcomes for consumers and families by creating a partnership between health care providers and consumers in the consumer’s own health care. Improving the Consumer and Family Experience is one of the six critical changes being implemented through Alameda County Care Connect. The Consumer and Family Fellowship, the […]

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) – an illness to be treated with the whole person in mind.

Discussion and a presentation of the SHIE and CHR were highlights at the Steering Committee meeting in January.

Review of the Director’s Report, a CHR demonstration, and a discussion on data governance was part of the December Steering Committee meeting.

Whole person care starts with a whole person view. Data Exchange is information to coordinate care for optimal health.  

A presentation of the Alameda County Care Connect Implementation Roadmap was discussed at the November 16th Steering Committee meeting.

New Hepatitis C (Hep C) virus infections can be dramatically reduced and potentially eliminated in Alameda County. The County has the fifth highest rate of newly reported chronic Hep C cases among local health jurisdictions in the State. In June 2016, Alameda County HealthPAC invested in capacity building to increase Hep C screening and treatment. […]

Alameda County had a 49% Decrease in Opioid Mortality Rates Recently released data for 2017, revealed that Alameda County had a 49% decrease in opioid overdose deaths since 2015. On average, 115 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose according to the Centers for Disease Control. The Alameda County Health Care Services Agency is […]

Care Integration Supports Consumer and Provider Success

Alameda County Community Health Record scheduled to launch in mid-2019.

Innovation in Behavioral Health Crisis Response System

During the Alameda County Care Connect Steering Committee on May 18th, Valerie Edwards, Care Connect, Director, Clinical Case Management Methods, presented the Culturally Affirmative Practice Provider Champion Group (CAPPCG). CAPPCG stakeholders are primarily direct service providers committed to improving the engagement across social divides between health care providers and consumers, particularly with consumers of African […]

Housing Solutions for Health

New Medical Respite and Wellness Center Planned

AC Care Connect Launches New Website!

A reflection on program year two.

Problem Solving Learning Community continues. We want to hear from you.

What is the Community Health Record?

The December Problem Solving Learning Community marked a shift in structure to generate tangible and active work from the group of over 60 participants from over 30 organizations. The group learned about how to refer clients effectively for specialty mental health services through ACCESS, and developed immediate ways this information could be used and disseminated […]

The Care Management and Housing bundles have expanded enrollment, while our Care Integration team is bringing about some process improvements for warm hand-offs from behavioral health clinics to primary care providers. Our Consumer and Family Experience unit has made headway with a new initiative called the Eastmont Collaborative, in addition to establishing the beginnings of […]