Partnership HealthPlan of California, the region's MediCal administrator, announced this morning it has awarded the county $1.05 million in grant funding for supportive housing units. The nonprofit also granted the Redwood Community Action Agency $1.26 million.

According to the press release, Partnership awarded a total of $25 million in grants this week for "housing-related projects across the MediCal managed care plan’s 14-county service area."

“Without a roof over your head and a safe place to sleep, it’s difficult to stay healthy,” Liz Gibboney, CEO of PHC, says in the press release. “We decided to address this critical health-related issue right where it starts – by funding projects that address homelessness and the lack of housing for the most vulnerable populations in our communities.”

DHHS said in the press release that it plans to combine that funding with that of "a development partner" to build at least 30 affordable apartment units for "homeless or housing-insecure adults who are eligible for PHC."

Nancy Starck of DHHS confirmed that the county would be partnering with DanCo to build the permanent supportive housing units. A location has been identified but not confirmed by DanCo.

In a phone call, Margaret Kisliuk, a behavioral health administrator with Partnership, said that she had visited Humboldt County several times in her work, and noted a "Bay Area level of need" in terms of housing. The one-time grants came from Partnership's reserves.

"We certainly know that there are quite a few homeless folks in Humboldt County, and clearly a housing need," she said. "It seemed to be more intense in terms of Humboldt County."

Kisliuk said that the funding could also be used to renovate existing units.

We have reached out to RCAA for comment. It's not immediately clear what the grant awarded RCAA will fund.

Editor's note: This piece was updated from the previous version to include information from Starck and Kisliuk.
From Partnership HealthPlan:

PHC Awards $1.05 Million to Humboldt County for Affordable Housing


FAIRFIELD – Partnership HealthPlan of California (PHC) has awarded $1.05 million in grant funds to the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services for construction of permanent supportive housing units for homeless residents and accompanying services.

The funding is one of 24 awards, totaling $25 million, made by PHC for housing-related projects across the Medi-Cal managed care plan’s 14-county service area. Through this grant program, PHC seeks to address the critical housing and housing-related needs that affect the health of its more than 560,000 members.

“Without a roof over your head and a safe place to sleep, it’s difficult to stay healthy,” says Liz Gibboney, CEO of PHC. “We decided to address this critical health-related issue right where it starts – by funding projects that address homelessness and the lack of housing for the most vulnerable populations in our communities.”

The Department of Health & Human Services plans to use the funds from PHC combined with other funding from a development partner to build at least 30 affordable apartment units for homeless or housing-insecure adults who are eligible for PHC.

“Some of these adults are newly homeless due to loss of income from death or admission to long-term care of their spouse,” says Sally Hewitt, Department of Health & Human Services Senior Program Manager. “Others are caught in the bind between fixed income and rising cost of rent. Still others find themselves homeless because their current housing has been sold, foreclosed or condemned.”

“We thank PHC for this tangible recognition of the linkage between affordable housing and good health,” Hewitt says.

The following is a full list of organizations selected to receive PHC grants (by county) and grant amounts:


Del Norte

· Del Norte County Department of Health and Human Services, $493,118

Humboldt

· Redwood Community Action Agency, $1,266,486

· Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services, $1,050,000

Lake

· Adventist Health Clear Lake, $1,330,904

Lassen

· Lassen County Health & Social Services, $323,225

Marin

· Homeward Bound of Marin, $1,567,065

Mendocino

· Health and Human Services of Mendocino County, $1,006,196

Modoc

· Training, Employment & Community Help, Inc. (T.E.A.C.H, Inc.), $133,239

Napa

· Peter A. & Vernice H. Gasser Foundation, $1,000,000

· Napa County Health & Human Services, $260,820

Shasta

· One Safe Place, $142,000

· Hill Country Community Clinic, $1,730,260 (capital project) and $269,740 (facilitation project)

· Northern Valley Catholic Social Service, $50,000 (facilitation) and $435,376 (capital)

Siskiyou

· Siskiyou County Health & Human Services Agency, $219,949

· Rural Communities Housing Development, $560,000

Solano

· CAP Solano Joint Powers Authority, $4,913,964

Sonoma

· Sonoma County Community Development Commission, $3,264,000 (capital project) and $1,653,538 (facilitation project)

Trinity

· Trinity County Behavioral Health Department, $195,390

Yolo

· City of Woodland, $679,971

· City of West Sacramento, $914,444

· Davis Community Meals and Housing, $750,313


About Partnership HealthPlan of California (PHC)

PHC is a nonprofit community-based health care organization that contracts with the state to administer Medi-Cal benefits. PHC provides quality health care to over 560,000 Medi-Cal members in 14 Northern California counties – Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Trinity, and Yolo.