Healthcare District Board awards $1.4 million in grants to support students' behavioral health needs & medical career paths

The Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Board approved two grants that center students at its monthly meeting Tuesday, Oct. 28.

One grant supports continued access to high-quality, culturally competent mental health services for students and their families, while the other enhances the pathway of students pursuing medical careers. 

Totaling $1,406,622, the awards are: 

•  Grant #1504 - $192,156 supporting Regents of the University of California at Riverside - A Pathway Program to Build the Capacity of Premedical Students to Address the Healthcare Needs of Coachella Valley Residents. The two-year grant will use funding from the Desert Healthcare District to expand the program to larger cohorts, prioritize students from the valley’s most underserved areas, and strengthen partnerships with local colleges, community organizations, and medical schools. Specifically, funds will support staff oversight — through project director and program coordinator positions — to provide structured mentorship, weekly clinical rotations, professional development seminars, and academic preparation for medical school applications, at Eisenhower Medical Center's emergency department, as well as stipends for participating students. 

• Grant #1518 - $1,214,466. Riverside Latino Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, Inc. - Coachella Valley Youth and Families Wellness Initiative. Desert Healthcare District funds will support staff salaries, access to electronic medical records, mileage reimbursement for travel to various sites, and the purchase of computers and noise-canceling devices to ensure confidentiality and effective data tracking. Ultimately, this one year of District funding will sustain access to critical mental health services within the Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) by retaining qualified staff, supporting trainee clinicians, and preserving this essential community resource. The grant provides CVUSD the time to stabilize its finances. "These services are so important to our youth and we’re so glad we have a well-respected organization with a strong track record that is stepping up to do this,” Board Director Leticia De Lara commented during the meeting. 

"With their votes this week, our Board Directors continue to address two focus areas for the District in recent years," said Chris Christensen, Desert Healthcare District & Foundation CEO. "These grants aim to improve access to behavioral healthcare, which is part of our current strategic plan, and to reduce the physician shortage in the valley. Our Board and staff are excited by the work these grantees are doing."

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.