The Capitol Community Health Network (CCHN) started life in 1994, as the Sacramento Community Clinic Association. Initially, it was an advocacy organization for non-profit women’s healthcare clinics whose funding streams were threatened by the implementation of Geographic Managed Care in Sacramento County. The urgency of that role diminished as time passed, while the importance of an advocacy and support organization for all community clinics became ever more apparent.
In 2002 the organization, by now known as the Sacramento Community Clinic Consortium, received its first major grant funding from The California Endowment. This encouraged us to begin fully participating in a statewide network of regional community clinic consortia which operates under the umbrella of the California Primary Care Association (CPCA). CCHN remains the infant sibling of these consortia, some of which have existed for over 25 years and are more than ten times the size of CCHN.
But the future of CCHN is very bright, indeed. The need for services is significant and the support from the community is enthusiastic. We have new Board leadership and a new Executive Director with extensive primary care experience in Sacramento. Keep your eye on this website over the next several years, as we expand our capacity to assist our member clinics in fulfilling their missions, and our influence in the healthcare community, regionally as well as statewide.
In 2002 the organization, by now known as the Sacramento Community Clinic Consortium, received its first major grant funding from The California Endowment. This encouraged us to begin fully participating in a statewide network of regional community clinic consortia which operates under the umbrella of the California Primary Care Association (CPCA). CCHN remains the infant sibling of these consortia, some of which have existed for over 25 years and are more than ten times the size of CCHN.
But the future of CCHN is very bright, indeed. The need for services is significant and the support from the community is enthusiastic. We have new Board leadership and a new Executive Director with extensive primary care experience in Sacramento. Keep your eye on this website over the next several years, as we expand our capacity to assist our member clinics in fulfilling their missions, and our influence in the healthcare community, regionally as well as statewide.
(C) Copyright 2008 Capitol Community Health Network
The Capitol Community Health Network is a nonprofit partnership of community clinics, health centers, and health education agencies serving the uninsured and underinsured populations of Sacramento.
If you would like to locate a community clinic in your area, please click here.
If you would like to locate a community clinic in your area, please click here.
About the CCHN
Mission
The mission of the Capitol Community Health Network is to support continual growth and service improvements for its members. The members constitute a regional network of community clinics dedicated to providing a full continuum of quality, culturally appropriate, primary healthcare services to all persons, regardless of ability to pay.
Vision
Our vision is a region in which all persons, regardless of cultural background, income level, education or citizenship status can easily access quality healthcare services and health education for themselves and their families, in a welcoming environment which empowers people to lead healthy, productive lives.
The mission of the Capitol Community Health Network is to support continual growth and service improvements for its members. The members constitute a regional network of community clinics dedicated to providing a full continuum of quality, culturally appropriate, primary healthcare services to all persons, regardless of ability to pay.
Vision
Our vision is a region in which all persons, regardless of cultural background, income level, education or citizenship status can easily access quality healthcare services and health education for themselves and their families, in a welcoming environment which empowers people to lead healthy, productive lives.
Over 15% of Sacramento County residents have no medical insurance; another 20% are insured by Medi-Cal or the California Medically Indigent Services Program (CMISP). That totals to approximately 550,000 persons of all ages who are either uninsured or under-insured and who thus have limited access to quality healthcare options. Over 80% of these people are in working families and 12% of them are children or teens.
Some physicians offices and medical groups will accept limited numbers of patients who are covered by Medi-Cal, but virtually none of them will accept uninsured patients. One option for uninsured persons and families who need medical care is to present at a hospital emergency room, where they generally must wait long hours for care which is impersonal, limited in scope and often lacking of even the most rudimentary form of follow-up. The other option is to find a community clinic which specializes in care to the uninsured and under-insured. Here they will often find a greater range of care and be welcomed by a culturally competent staff of compassionate, caring healthcare professionals.
The CCHN network of clinics is currently able to provide a full continuum of competent, compassionate care to 50,000 men, women and children in Sacramento County. A quick glance at the numbers indicates that growth of this network is essential for the health of the regional society as a whole.
Some physicians offices and medical groups will accept limited numbers of patients who are covered by Medi-Cal, but virtually none of them will accept uninsured patients. One option for uninsured persons and families who need medical care is to present at a hospital emergency room, where they generally must wait long hours for care which is impersonal, limited in scope and often lacking of even the most rudimentary form of follow-up. The other option is to find a community clinic which specializes in care to the uninsured and under-insured. Here they will often find a greater range of care and be welcomed by a culturally competent staff of compassionate, caring healthcare professionals.
The CCHN network of clinics is currently able to provide a full continuum of competent, compassionate care to 50,000 men, women and children in Sacramento County. A quick glance at the numbers indicates that growth of this network is essential for the health of the regional society as a whole.
· Supporting the efforts of member clinics to attain certification as Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers (FQHC) or so-called “Look Alikes”. This certification permits clinics to obtain significantly higher rates of reimbursement for services provided to Medi-Cal clients, as well as the possibility of Federal grant funding. This extra funding can provide clinics with the financial capacity to pay for the needs of the uninsured.
· Representing the interests of member clinics at the Sacramento Healthcare Improvement Project, which is a collaborative effort to reform the healthcare “safety net” in Sacramento County, in order to provide improved access to quality care at all levels (primary care, specialty care and hospital care), for all residents of the County.
· Working collaboratively with the California Primary Care Association to advocate for the needs and concerns of member clinics at the State and Federal levels.
· Assisting member clinics in building their capacity to continually monitor and improve the quality of services they provide. This Quality Improvement (QI) capacity building assistance includes bringing in outside QI experts to make assessments, offer recommendations and provide training.
· Working collaboratively with member clinics and other organizations to provide community outreach and “patient navigation” services. These services can identify persons in need of regular healthcare and assure that they find their way to a welcoming, competent “medical home”.
· Assisting member clinics in preparing for external disasters such as disease epidemics, earthquakes or floods, as well as internal disasters such as fires or bomb threats.
· Providing access to cost-effective centralized services by member clinics, such as grant writing, contracting, purchasing pools or accounting services.
· Representing the interests of member clinics at the Sacramento Healthcare Improvement Project, which is a collaborative effort to reform the healthcare “safety net” in Sacramento County, in order to provide improved access to quality care at all levels (primary care, specialty care and hospital care), for all residents of the County.
· Working collaboratively with the California Primary Care Association to advocate for the needs and concerns of member clinics at the State and Federal levels.
· Assisting member clinics in building their capacity to continually monitor and improve the quality of services they provide. This Quality Improvement (QI) capacity building assistance includes bringing in outside QI experts to make assessments, offer recommendations and provide training.
· Working collaboratively with member clinics and other organizations to provide community outreach and “patient navigation” services. These services can identify persons in need of regular healthcare and assure that they find their way to a welcoming, competent “medical home”.
· Assisting member clinics in preparing for external disasters such as disease epidemics, earthquakes or floods, as well as internal disasters such as fires or bomb threats.
· Providing access to cost-effective centralized services by member clinics, such as grant writing, contracting, purchasing pools or accounting services.