Strengthening our System of Care Through Unity and Mutual Aid
In January of 2022, the California Department of Healthcare Services launched California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal, or CalAIM, a multiyear initiative to improve health outcomes for those living with complex health and social needs.
For the first time, social determinants of health services such as case management, housing navigation, rental assistance, medical case management, caregiving, food distribution, and transportation became reimbursable through Medi-Cal insurance.
Locally, this means that the grassroots clinics and nonprofits making up our region’s system of care, which are providing vital services like these to some of our most vulnerable neighbors, can finally be reimbursed for their work. For agencies operating on small budgets yet continuously addressing the increasing need for such services, the potential impact of this revenue stream is huge.
However, the path to become a CalAIM provider can be a long and complicated one, requiring a potentially significant amount of time and resources, especially for smaller community-based organizations and clinics.
To make sure that our region benefits from the transformational opportunity presented by CalAIM, the Healthcare Foundation established the Northern Sonoma County Coalition to incentivize and support local clinics and nonprofits to become or maintain their status as CalAIM providers.
The Coalition joins the six local nonprofits and clinics that make up our region’s system of care—Alexander Valley Healthcare, Alliance Medical Center, The Botanical Bus, Corazón Healdsburg, La Familia Sana, and Reach for Home—in a two-year project facilitated by the Healthcare Foundation and supported by a group of local individual and institutional funders.
Quarterly meetings of the Coalition, in effect since January of 2025, bring together leadership from all six member agencies, as well as other organizations and subject matter experts who can answer questions and support a coordinated transition that lifts all members while also helping to streamline systems and communications across the sector.
“Being part of the Northern Sonoma County Coalition has been energizing and deeply affirming. The coalition fosters authentic collaboration across organizations that are grounded in community and committed to equity. It’s a space where trust is built, ideas are exchanged, and shared challenges are tackled collectively.”
Sue LabbeExecutive Director, Alliance Medical Center
United by a common goal of achieving CalAIM billing status by the end of 2026, Coalition members are gaining and sharing resources, training, and institutional expertise to ease the lift in joining CalAIM and building sustainable funding streams.
But the impact has gone beyond operational support—the Coalition has sparked deeper collaboration, stronger referral systems, and renewed morale among its members. Together, this collective is building a more integrated, resilient, and equitable system of care for northern Sonoma County—one that could serve as a model for other regions across the state.
The Healthcare Foundation gratefully acknowledges the following individuals and institutions who are helping to make possible the transformative work of the Northern Sonoma County Coalition
Barbara Grasseschi & Tony Crabb
Community Foundation Sonoma County
Medtronic
North Sonoma County Healthcare District
Northern Sonoma County Coalition Members
