The last official update from Healthy Kids was in September 2003. The Planning Committee felt it was time for everyone to receive an update of all the activities that have occurred during the past few months. |
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It has been a year since the forum at Embassy Suites when our community came together and unanimously supported the concept of forming a community partnership to make sure that all SLO County children have health insurance. During the past year, the Planning Committee has been working hard to coordinate and create all the components necessary for a successful launch of the program scheduled for September 2004. Subcommittees were created to expedite the process. The subcommittees include:
The
Operations Subcommittee
This committee will determine the best methods
and strategies to work together to create
one, open door enrollment into health coverage
for children. Representatives on the committee
include the Department of Social Services,
Public Health, Community Health Centers of
the Central Coast and the First 5 Commission.
The
RFP for the Health Plan Subcommittee
This committee designed a RFP to be released
this month. It will solicit proposals from
multiple health plans to provide insurance
coverage. The San Luis Obispo Community Foundation
has agreed to administer the RFP process.
Fundraising/Governance
Subcommittee
This committee has been reviewing various
configurations and existing organizations
that would best implement and administer the
program. After lengthy consideration, the
committee proposed a plan to incorporate and
apply for non-profit status to create a new
501c3 to oversee the project. The Planning
Committee approved the recommendation. Activities
are underway to accomplish that task with
René Bravo, M.D., Kathy Long, M.D.
and Planning Committee Chair and First 5 Commissioner,
Joel Diringer, J.D., M.P.H; agreeing to be
the three initial incorporators required to
begin the process. An official name was chosen
(Children’s Health Initiative of San
Luis County, Inc.), a mission statement was
crafted and bylaws are in development.
On February 25th the First 5 Children and
Families Commission designated $500,000 to
the CHI for administrative and subsidy costs.
This amount is in addition to the initial
$125,000 designated to the initiative. Several
other funders also have shown interest in
and supported the CHI initiative. Funding
to support the effort has been solicited and
received from the SLO County Preventive Health
grant program, The California Endowment and
the California HealthCare Foundation. Applications
for subsidy support also have been submitted
to the Blue Shield Foundation and Congresswoman
Lois Capps’ office.
Speaking
of Support
On Tuesday, March 16, 2004, the County Board
of Supervisors will review and approve a new
plan to address the county’s outpatient
clinics. As part of the proposed plan, the
Board will consider setting aside $200,000
annually in matching funds to insure children
6-18 years of age. The source of the funding
is projected savings from the closure of General
Hospital.
We encourage you to thank the Board publicly
for their generous support to date and urge
them to adopt staff’s recommendation
at the Board meeting on March 16th; or you
can all your supervisor at 781-5450 and/or
reach them via email: kachadjian@co.slo.ca.us,
mryan@co.slo.ca.us,
sbianchi@co.slo.ca.us,
ppinard@co.slo.ca.us,
hovitt@co.slo.ca.us.
If you have any questions regarding how you
can participate, please call Christina Chow
at 781-1897.