Loma Linda University Children's Hospital Resiliency Institute for Childhood Adversity (RICA) has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the state of California to develop a model for addressing childhood adversity and improving long-term health outcomes.
This funding, part of the UCLA-UCSF ACEs Aware initiative, will be utilized over 18 months in partnership with Inland Empire Health Plan. The initiative is in collaboration with the California Surgeon General and the Department of Health Care Services.
The grant will support the creation and implementation of a model that can be replicated statewide to enhance services for foster youth and children who have experienced violence. RICA's approach integrates trauma-informed medical and mental health care, offering extended appointment times and developing collaboration among doctors, mental health providers, and social workers. Providers can identify, report, and mitigate trauma and toxic stress in children.
"Our goal is to create a community of support, so when a child or caregiver faces a challenging situation, they know they can turn to us for help," said Amy Young, MD, director of RICA. "We want them to think of their doctor's office as a place where they can receive medical care and the support and resources they need to navigate their challenges."
The grant will also help implement an Enhanced Care Management team for foster youth and expand the Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce, providing certified patient navigators to assist at-risk children in accessing medical and mental health care.
Since opening in 2021, RICA has served more than 3,500 children across the Inland Empire, including San Bernardino and Riverside counties, with patients traveling from as far as Coachella and Victorville.
For more information about the Loma Linda University Children's Resiliency Institute for Childhood Adversity, visit online.
More stories about: Children’s Hospital Children's health Behavioral Health
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