- Kristen Cerf, Vice President, Medi-Cal Growth Strategy, Blue Shield Promise Health Plan; John Baackes, CEO, L.A. Care Health Plan; Supervisor Hilda Solis; Dr. Greg Buchert, President and CEO, Blue Shield Promise Health Plan; Francisco Oaxaca, Senior Director, Communications and Community Relations, L.A. Care Health Plan (left to right)
First Blue Shield Promise-L.A. Care jointly operated community resource center in Pomona, CA
Local children participating in arts and crafts and coloring a photo the Community Resource Center logo
L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan announced in September that they will invest a combined $146 million as part of a five-year commitment to expand Community Resource Centers across Los Angeles County. On Nov. 6, the Pomona center was officially opened.
The new center is the first of 14 centers that will be jointly operated across Los Angeles County.
The Pomona center is the first of seven new facilities that will open in the coming years. Seven existing centers will be either renovated or moved to larger locations.
The centers will offer services and resources to our members and the community that will keep them active, healthy and informed. For instance, they will provide preventive screenings, along with a wide variety of exercise, nutrition and health management classes in a safe, fun and inclusive space for local residents at no additional cost. Ultimately, the goal of the centers is to help to improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs over time.
The Pomona center, located at 696 West Holt Ave., is a 12,000-square-foot facility. It is much larger than the existing centers with enough space to accommodate local community organizations who will help connect visitors to much needed social services.
Beyond traditional health and wellness offerings, the centers will also offer personalized services to members from both plans, including on-site care management. Our two plans have a long history of working together, and this new collaboration will allow us to leverage our respective strengths for the benefit of everyone in the Pomona area who uses the centers.
This unique collaboration will help improve health outcomes in local communities and the total quality of life for members of the two health plans. Improved health outcomes will also reduce health care costs over time.