Healthcare District Board awards $1.2 million to aid Coachella Valley patients & families in need of support

The Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Board approved on Sept. 30 three grants that focus on enhancing primary and behavioral health services for Coachella Valley patients, their families, and caregivers.

Totaling $1,223,607, the awards include support for two organizations with a regional footprint that also encompasses local residents in need. The other grant recipient is a medical clinic with history in the valley.

Here are the Board-approved grants:

• Grant #1506: $1,110,318 for Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine, which provides primary health and behavioral health services to low-income, underinsured and uninsured residents at medical clinics in Indio and Palm Springs. Over the next two years, the grant will sustain accessible, no-cost healthcare by supporting the Palm Springs clinic lease and salaries for eight key staff positions — three medical assistants, two medical receptionists, a diabetes case manager, a clinical operations director, and a social worker — along with partial salary support for the executive director.
• Grant #1515: $80,200 for Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House, which is located across from Loma Linda University Children's Hospital and offers temporary housing, mental and behavioral healthcare, and supportive services to families with seriously ill children. Since it was founded in 1996, the organization has provided 29,000 family stays. This includes Coachella Valley families whose children are admitted to Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. Grant funds will support family support services, including partial salaries for supervisors, intern stipends, intake coordinators, and support staff, as well as gas cards for families and interns, mileage, printing and mailing, and essential operational supplies.
• Grant #1516: $33,089 for Cancer Support Community Los Angeles, which provides psychosocial services to 4,000 people each year, expanded more than a year ago into the Coachella Valley. In May, a support group for caregivers was presented as the Cancer Support Community Palm Springs & Coachella Valley with a local staff. Grant funds will support the staff and efforts to work with partners, developing outreach to Spanish-speaking, LGBTQ+ and older adult communities. It aligns with the District's strategic plan goal 3 to expand behavioral and mental health access.

"Our September grant awards illustrate how collaboration and outreach are integral to improving access to healthcare," said Chris Christensen, Desert Healthcare District & Foundation CEO. "While the majority of our grant applicants are based in the Coachella Valley, it is sometimes necessary to work with regional partners to ensure valley residents receive the services they need which may be lacking locally. In addition, all of these grant organizations have established relationships with the District or other partners in our community."

Interested in applying for a District & Foundation grant? Learn more about the grants program at dhcd.org.

About the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation

The Desert Healthcare District is a local government agency formed in 1948. Its mission is to achieve optimal health at all stages of life for all District residents. The District includes more than 400,000 residents and encompasses the entire Coachella Valley. The District and Desert Healthcare Foundation, together, are one of the largest funders in the valley. These funds are used to assist residents — especially the underserved — in accessing vitally needed resources, such as primary and behavioral healthcare. Learn more.