BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Molina Healthcare of Washington announced the 2019 recipients of the Molina Community Innovation Fund (the Molina Fund), a new program designed to fund innovative programs that reduce access barriers and address the social determinants of health for Medicaid beneficiaries in regions of Washington State that have implemented Integrated Managed Care (IMC). In this inaugural year, Molina received a total of 152 applications and is distributing nearly $1 million in grants to 16 Washington-based 501(c)(3) organizations.
“We are grateful to the many community organizations across the state that submitted proposals for our debut of the Molina Fund,” said Peter Adler, president of Molina Healthcare of Washington. “Molina is honored to support this year’s winners by providing innovation funding to implement and expand community-based initiatives that make whole-person health more accessible. Community-based organizations who are receiving Molina Fund innovation grants share Molina’s goal of improving health outcomes by incorporating social determinants of health and reducing access barriers at the community level.”
Starting in 2019 and annually for three consecutive years, the Molina Fund will award up to $1 million per year to organizations that align with Molina’s mission and goals. Below are the organizations and projects that Molina is supporting through this inaugural year of Molina Fund grants:
Community and Clinical Linkages/Social Determinants of Health
- Council for the Homeless - Provide housing support through diversion, an effective intervention focused on quickly housing those without homes within the local housing market, for low-income seniors in Clark County.
- Friends in Service to Humanity (FISH) - Collaborate with partners in Kittitas County to improve food security through a comprehensive program inclusive of food insecurity screening, food prescriptions, and nutrition education. For individuals with uncontrolled chronic disease, the program will include referrals for medical nutrition therapy and medically tailored meals.
- Neighborcare Health - Expand access to mental health care, help patients navigate their care, and connect patients to other resources, such as housing or education, at its Youth Clinic – supporting youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in King County.
- YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish - Support the Health Care Access program in King County, in which certified Community Health Workers meet vulnerable women of color where they are to help them navigate the health care system and address social determinant of health needs.
Population Health
- CHAS Health - Increase access to non-invasive fibrosis assessment for persons with Hepatitis C and grow the number of patients initiating and completing Hep C treatment in Spokane County.
- Dave Purchase Project/Tacoma Needle Exchange - Co-locate a specialty wound care clinic within the Tacoma Needle Exchange syringe exchange program that provides early intervention, diagnosis, and treatment. Participants will be offered access to substance use disorder treatment, care coordination, and other behavioral and social services.
- Hepatitis Education Project - Raise Hepatitis B virus (HBV) awareness, screening, vaccination, and linkage to care among foreign-born individuals in King County.
- Pregnancy Resource Center - Launch a new initiative to decrease the rate of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in Snohomish County by providing STI testing and treatment to all patients and their partners.
- Puget Sound Kidney Centers Foundation - Expand free community-based programs in Skagit and Snohomish counties, focused on educating and empowering individuals with chronic kidney disease to manage their health and lifestyle.
Expanding Access/Reducing Disparities in Access to Care
- Community in Schools of Tacoma - Support the growth of school-based clinics to provide preventive care services, health and safety education, and wellness programs to all district-eligible students.
- Family Health Centers - Implement the Comprehensive Obstetric Support Training and Education Program (COSTEP) to build capacity across rural Douglas and Okanogan counties, improving health outcomes for expecting mothers, babies, and their families.
- Family Solutions - Increase capacity to provide evidence-based specialty behavioral health services to Clark County Medicaid-eligible young children, many of whom have experienced trauma.
- Peer Spokane - Expand behavioral health peer support services in Spokane County.
- Toddler Learning Center - Grow capacity to provide applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy, education, and parent support for children who experience developmental delays in Island and San Juan counties.
Advancing Integrated Care
- Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho - Integrate behavioral health services into reproductive health care delivery in Yakima County.
- Tri Cities Community Health - Expand integration of oral health care into pediatric well-child check-up exams in Benton and Franklin counties.
Nonprofit organizations that are interested in applying for grants through the next round of the Molina Fund can do so by visiting MolinaHealthcare.com/MolinaFund in spring 2020.
About Molina Healthcare of Washington
Molina Healthcare of Washington has been providing government-funded care for low-income individuals for nearly 20 years. As of September 2019, the organization serves over 818,000 members through Medicaid, Medicare and the Health Benefit Exchange programs across the state of Washington. Additionally, Molina Healthcare operates a primary care clinic in Everett (MyHealth Everett) and a mobile health unit (MyHealth Mobile) in the Spokane area. For more information, visit MolinaHealthcare.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.