LOS ANGELES – The COVID-19 public health emergency has ended, but the problems it created continue. Community clinic staffing shortages persist, and there continues to be a lack of diversity in the clinic workforce. Today, L.A. Care Health Plan is proud to announce its latest round of Robert E. Tranquada Safety Net Initiative grants totaling $2,050,000, which will help address the shortage of non-physician certified and licensed professionals in clinics that serve low-income communities of color. Ultimately, the funding will lead to better health outcomes for L.A. Care members and their communities.
“Each clinic will receive up to $175,000 to help them improve patient access through increased staffing, specifically workers who share a racial or ethnic background with the patients they are serving,” said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. “The lack of diversity among healthcare staff hinders efforts toward health equity. L.A. Care is working to close the gap on health disparities that have existed for far too long.”
The pandemic worsened a nursing shortage in the state. UC San Francisco estimates California faces a shortage of about 36,000 license nurses. San Fernando Community Health Center (SFCHC) is one of the grantees in this 14th round of Tranquada Initiative grants and is grateful that it will be able to boost its nursing staff.
“The funding will allow SFCHC to hire a Registered Nurse and a Certified Community Health Worker to further strengthen our primary care team,” said Audrey Simons, CEO of SFCHC. “The focus of our project is to increase the percentage of patients achieving blood pressure control, increase screening for chronic kidney disease and reduce obesity among patients, particularly those with underlying medical conditions. Integrating both a dedicated RN and CCHW into the team will allow better communication with patients and better quality care.”
Another grantee, QueensCare Health Centers (QHC), will use the Tranquada funding to improve outcomes for Latino patients with uncontrolled diabetes.
"Los Angeles has a significant number of patients and low-income individuals facing health challenges stemming from their daily dietary practices and food choices. By incorporating a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) into our health centers, we aim to tackle the underlying causes of these issues and empower our patients with the knowledge needed to make informed dietary decisions,” said Eloisa Perard, President and CEO of QueensCare Health Centers. “Thanks to this generous grant, QHC will be able to appoint a full-time RDN, who will play a crucial role in addressing these health concerns, while providing patients with invaluable information to enhance their quality of life."
Other grantees are using the funding to increase access to mental health care in Latino patients, increase childhood immunizations and colorectal cancer screenings in Black patients, and increase depression and HIV screenings in Latino and Cambodian patients.
L.A. Care launched the Tranquada Initiative in 2005 to help safety net providers improve their core infrastructure capabilities and to support projects that have a long-term and systemic impact. It was named after Dr. Robert E. Tranquada, founding board member of L.A. Care. Dr. Tranquada has dedicated his life to public health. He served as the Medical Director of L.A. County + USC Medical Center and was later the Dean of Medicine at USC.
The awardees in this 14th round of Tranquada Initiative grants are:
Asian Pacific Health Care Venture
Garfield Health Center
Harbor Community Health Centers
Los Angeles Christian Health Center
Northeast Valley Health Corporation
QueensCare Health Centers
San Fernando Community Health Center
Southern California Medical Center
St. John’s Community Health
The Achievable Foundation
Venice Family Clinic
Via Care Community Health Center
The Tranquada Initiative grants are part of L.A. Care’s commitment to advancing health equity, giving everyone a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.