Blue Shield of California Foundation Awards Tri-City Health Center $20,000 to Advance Community Care

Aug. 29, 2012 - PRLog -- Blue Shield of California Foundation (BSCF) today announced that it is awarding $20,000 in core funding to Tri-City Health Center to support their capacity to provide care for low-income and uninsured residents living in southern, central, and eastern Alameda County, California. The grant is part of the Foundation’s efforts to strengthen the network of those delivering health care on the front lines and enable them to continue to serve millions of vulnerable Californians.

“As we prepare for a new healthcare landscape, the role of Tri-City Health Center is more important than ever,” said Peter Long, Ph.D., president and CEO of BSCF. “Even with reform in place, millions of California residents will remain uninsured. Strengthening our safety net providers is paramount to ensuring that no patient gets left behind.”

Throughout the state, more than 200 community health centers and consortia continue to open their doors to California’s underserved populations. These health centers provide critical services to nearly 3 million patients each year, many of whom are uninsured or underinsured. Since 2003, Blue Shield of California Foundation has invested more than $58 million in community health centers statewide.

“The generous and continued grant support from Blue Shield of California Foundation is critical as Tri-City Health Center implements a new care model that provides increased access, enhances patient satisfaction, and improves quality and health outcomes,” said Juli Schirmer, Interim CEO of Tri-City health Center.

Blue Shield of California Foundation (www.blueshieldcafoundation.org) is one of the state’s largest and most trusted healthcare grantmaking organizations. Our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians, particularly the underserved, by making health care accessible, effective, and affordable, and by ending domestic violence. The Foundation was formed by Blue Shield of California, a not-for-profit corporation with more than 3.4 million members, 4,800 employees, and 20 offices throughout California.

Tri-City Health Center (TCHC), located in Fremont, California was founded in 1970 to provide family planning services for low-income, minority women. Over the years, TCHC has expanded its scope and now offers high-quality primary medical, dental and behavioral health care services for the entire family. TCHC is a nonprofit, federally qualified health center that serves nearly 20,000 low-income, uninsured and homeless residents living in Alameda County, California.

TCHC is a fiscally responsible, independent, not-for-profit community health center and a key member of our community's vital health safety-net.