District awards $1.5 million to enhance local behavioral health services
A university and federally qualified health center will receive significant grant support from the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation to address behavioral and mental health challenges in the Coachella Valley.
At its monthly Board meeting Tuesday, Feb. 25, the District & Foundation approved a $1 million grant for St. John's Community Health, which on Jan. 28 celebrated the opening of its Indio Health Center.
The center aims to increase care in a part of the valley that has been federally designated as a Medically Underserved Population and a Health Professional Shortage Area for primary, dental, and mental health services. It expects to serve more than 2,000 new patients in its first year, with a projected capacity of 10,000 people by the third year.
The one-year grant funds will support staffing during the center's startup phase, which aligns with the District & Foundation's strategic plan. Goal #3 of the plan is to "proactively expand community access to behavioral/mental health services."
Board Director Leticia DeLara (zone 7) made the motion to approve St. John's grant request. She included an expectation that the center will work with other federally qualified health centers and mobile medical clinics in the community to coordinate services and to address this expectation in their reporting.
The other grant awarded Tuesday went to the regents at the University of California Riverside. The $500,000, two-year grant funds improving access to behavioral health education and prevention services in the Coachella Valley, which also aligns with the District & Foundation's strategic plan goal #3.
The funds specifically support five key staffing positions: supervising faculty for trainee programs, Spanish-speaking clinicians for in-person and telehealth services, and staff responsible for community outreach and psychoeducational training to raise awareness about available resources.
"These grant awards are another vital step in developing much-needed behavioral and mental health providers and services in the valley," said Chris Christensen, Desert Healthcare District & Foundation CEO. "Along with our Behavioral Health Initiative and contributions as a founding partner in the Coachella Valley Behavioral Health Collective, they reflect our Board and staff's commitment to advance community wellness for all residents affected by behavioral health challenges."
Read the full grant applications (pages 133-194).
About the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation