 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Humboldt-Del Norte Progress Report
by Brian Mau, Local Coordinator, Humboldt-Del Norte
The Community Health Alliance of Humboldt Del-Norte, Inc., (CHA) became incorporated on April 21, 2000 and filed for tax exempt status in July 2000. The thirty-six voting members of the CHA were selected in September 2000 and the nine member Board of Directors was chosen from the larger membership and installed in office this October. The CHA is the successor to the Humboldt-Del Norte Regional Health Council (RHC) and will continue its broad-based community collaboration through its six regional community health committees.
Currently, CHA board members are working with California Institute for Rural Health Management consultants in the Developing Rural Integrated Systems (DRIS) Initiative to prepare a business plan for an Administrative Services Organization (ASO) and to explore health care financing options for local employers and other consumers. The CHA also will pursue health promotion and disease prevention strategies for the two counties, with an emphasis on coordinating grants for health services. The CHA’s business plan will demonstrate a strategy to sustain a long-term business product with supplemental funding from foundations, Federal and State programs, and other sources for investing in the CHA’s future programs.
At the June 8, 2000 meeting of the RHC, Marty Campbell, Program Officer for the James Irvine Foundation, attended and presented the Regional Health Council with its Phase II DRIS “Milestone” grant of $20,000 acknowledging the RHC for establishing an accountable entity and for clarifying its vision, direction and strategic goals within the DRIS project in Humboldt-Del Norte. Marty told the RHC that the Foundation has learned a lot from Humboldt-Del Norte about collaboration, trust and partnerships, and thanked the Council for its patience and hard work to address local health care system issues in such a large and diverse rural area.
© CIRHM