Advancing the Redwood Region RISE Initiatives

August 2025 RRRISE Newsletter

Investing in People. Growing Community. Advancing Health & Caregiving.

🌟 RRRISE Initiative Updates

📅 Save the Dates – Join Us This Fall!

September 25, 2025 11:00 AM–12:30 PM (Virtual)

Quarterly Collaborative Meeting: Forest & Fire Resilience in the Redwood Region

November 5, 2025 All Day Event (In-Person | Lake County)

Regional Convening: How Do We Build Our Regional Collective Impact?

We’re excited to share the Redwood Region RISE Semi-Annual Report—highlighting implementation milestones, emerging cross-sector partnerships, Catalyst project rollouts, and our evolving tools and governance infrastructure.

Read the Semi-Annual Report

🌟 New One-Page Activation Plan Summary Now Available!

The North Coast Health Improvement and Information Network (NCHIIN) is excited to announce the release of a new one-page summary tool that distills the key elements of the Redwood Region RISE Activation Plan into an easy-to-read format.

This resource provides a clear, visual overview of the strategies, tactics, and tasks outlined in the full Activation Plan, helping partners and stakeholders quickly understand the regional roadmap for improving health equity and community well-being.

👉 Access Activation Plan Summary

💸 Funding & Financing

Technical Assistance

🔹 Rural Hospital Stabilization Program (Deadline August 20)

Supports rural hospitals with planning & sustainability tools.

🔹 Bond BHCIP Round 2 (PAC Deadline Aug 29)

$800M statewide in behavioral health infrastructure funding — don’t miss your required pre-application consult!

🔹 Grants to Expand Doula Care Access (Deadline August 22)

25,000 to $35,000 to support the expansion of trauma-informed, culturally aligned doula care for Medi-Cal populations. Eligible activities include doula recruitment & training, Medi-Cal billing support, and partnership development.

🔹 California Community Reinvestment Grants (CalCRG) (Opens August 11, 2025 with Phase 1 Deadline September 8, 2025) This funding opportunity supports community-based nonprofits advancing economic and social equity in communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs.

👉 Need Help Applying? Reach out to RISE for technical assistance, partnership ideas, and proposal review support.

Collaboration in Action

💡 Maximize Collaboration in Healthcare

Becker’s Review shares four practical ways to enhance partnership impact. In today’s dynamic healthcare landscape, collaboration isn’t just a strategic advantage — it’s a necessity. You can unlock the full potential by understanding your organization’s unique strengths, adopting a business model that fosters cooperation, selecting aligned organizations, and managing those relationships effectively.

📃 CalAIM Vision Paper: Public Comment Open

DHCS outlines Medi-Cal’s future through 2032.

Caregiving Corner

🍎 Could Child Care Centers Strengthen Local Food Systems?

👶 CHCF Guide to Birth Centers in California - A Critical Resource that's Disappearing

👵 ITUP Strengthening the Personal Care Aide Workforce

Explore how we can better support the workforce that keeps elders and people with disabilities in their homes.

📣 Health Workforce Updates

Diversity in NP Workforce = Equity in Access

Empowered by AB 890, a new UCSF study spotlights how diverse Nurse Practitioners are expanding primary care in underserved communities.

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (H.R. 3890)

Bipartisan legislation would add 14,000 Medicare-funded residency positions over seven years to help alleviate ongoing physician shortages.

Certified Wellness Coaches New Medi-Cal Benefit

This benefit is reimbursable under the Children & Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) statewide multi-payer school-linked Fee Schedule (Fee Schedule) program

Access Wellness Coach Recertification Webinar

Scholarships & Loan Repayment

Quest for Rural Experience Scholarships – NP or PA students may apply to receive $3,000 scholarships to support clinical rotations at Rural Health Clinics.

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Student Loan Repayment - Up to $240K in loan repayment for BH providers committing to multi-year service - Deadline August 15, 2025

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Residency Training Program $250K per training slot for BH residency/fellowship programs through BH-CONNECT - Deadline August 15, 2025

Song-Brown Primary Care Residency, FNP/PA, and CNM Grants - Applications close September 2025

CA State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) - Deadline Sept. 15 (eligible disciplines outlined below)

Health Careers Exploration Program (HCEP) - Support for underrepresented and/or disadvantaged individuals interested in healthcare careers - Application open August 15-October 17

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Community-Based Provider Training Program Training support for CHWs, promotores, and peer specialists - Closes Qtr 1 2026

CA State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)

Eligible Disciplines

Federal & State Policy Spotlight

🧾 $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Fund

As part of a new reconciliation law, a $50B fund aims to offset major cuts to Medicaid. KFF breaks down potential impacts for rural communities and California.

📌 Medicaid, Medicare & ACA Policy Timeline Tracker

Track implementation of sweeping health changes in KFF’s new timeline.

📢 CalHHS Update: Navigating Cuts to Medi-Cal

New resource “What Medi-Cal Members Need to Know” guide

📉 CalMatters Analysis: Budget Impacts in California

• 3.4 million Californians could lose health coverage

• State faces a $28.4B shortfall over 10 years

📚 Newsweek: Future of Medicaid & Medicare

On the 60th anniversary of these programs, Newsweek explores what's ahead.

🎧 Upcoming Webinar - August 20 at 10:00 AM - “What’s Ahead for Medi-Cal and California’s Health Landscape”

Join to unpack the implications of the federal and state budgets.