Sixth National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations: Main Conference Concurrent Workshops RCAC: Represent, Consider, Advise and Collaborate; an evolving model for consumer engagement in a public health plan
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C-8 Creative strategies to engage diverse communities in service design and delivery

RCAC: Represent, Consider, Advise and Collaborate; an evolving model for consumer engagement in a public health plan
Tuesday, September 23, 2008: 2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Minn Marriott, 8th Floor - Spring Park Bay
Working with grass roots constituents is challenging. Careful planning and inclusion of consumers will greatly enhance success.  L.A. Care Health Plan (LACHP), a local non-profit, community accountable Medi-Cal health plan in Los Angeles County has been a leader in providing culturally sensitive and linguistically competent quality health care services. L.A. Care’s recipe for success includes a proactive grassroots engagement process.

Since its inception in 2001, L.A. Care’s Regional Community Advisory Committee (RCAC) system has sought to evolve its work with Medi-Cal consumers by aligning more closely with the ethnic, cultural and social dynamics of   the constituents served. 

With the potential of more than 380 consumer, advocate and provider members, the RCACs require a true partnership among consumers, staff, and L.A. Care’s public Board of Governors.

Over the first eight years, the RCAC system showed modest success in promoting consumer input, feedback and policy recommendations. However, over time, the need for a redesign and evaluation surfaced. At the same time, stakeholders realized that a new approach needed to be created to insure that consumer participants would have opportunities to get information on personal health topics, to receive support on access to care and to build experience in advocacy.

The redesigned RCAC system now delivers the framework for consumers to truly Represent, Consider, Advise and Collaborate.  This change is showing meaningful progress in grassroots participation, policy making and programmatic direction.

Moving from a good system to a great one has required a robust and candid evaluation of current operations. Some of the key changes include additional staff training, wider involvement of the advocate community and increased funding support.  Several techniques have proven to be especially helpful.  For example, enhanced communication tools- newsletters, toll-free telephone hotline, conferences –compliment the bi-monthly meetings and provide strong continuity.  The use of stipends and reimbursements has helped to reduce the financial burden of participation. Finally within L.A. Care, a conscious effort to leverage resources across departments such as health education, government affairs, and cultural and linguistics services promoted a marked increase in the RCAC system’s potential.

Still very much a work in progress, L.A. Care’s approach offers colleagues in the field one example of a cutting edge model for authentic consumer engagement.

Handouts
  • The RCAC Member Handbook Final 011808.doc (222.0 kB)

    • Presentation Information:

    Program: Main Conference Concurrent Workshops
    Primary Category: Culturally Competent Care
    Subtopics: Community health education, Patient education, Health literacy, Partnerships with community organizations, Quality improvement, Data collection (on individuals and communities), Organizational plans, policies, management strategies, Implementing disparity reduction programs, Standards (performance, organizational), Local/ Community, State, urban, Racism, sexism, discrimination, Access in underserved communities, eg, rural, urban, Disparity reduction

    Region Addressed by Presentation: US - California
    Organization: Non-Profit Organization/Association
    Population/Demographic: Low income Medi-Cal consumers
    Keywords: consumer feedback, public engagement, policy development, grassroots, advocacy


    Website: www.lacare.org
    Idalia Chitica , Community Outreach and Education, L.A. Care Health Plan, Los Angeles, CA
      Lead Community Outreach Field Specialist
      L.A. Care Health Plan
      Community Outreach and Education
      555 W. Fifth Street, 29th Floor
      Los Angeles CA, USA 90013

      Phone: 213-694-1250 x 4420
      Email Address: idelatorre@lacare.org

      Biographical Sketch:       Idalia Chitica is the Lead Community Outreach Field Specialist in the Community Outreach & Education Department for L.A. Care Health Plan, where she has been employed for eight (8) years. In this new capacity, she is responsible for the planning and oversight of activities for eleven Regional Community Advisory Committees and ensuring participation by the health plan members. The committees are responsible to provide feedback to L.A. Care’s Board of Governors, a 13 member stakeholder board who represent medical professionals, hospitals, clinics, and L.A. Care members. Prior to joining L. A. Care, Mrs. Chitica spent 5 years working in the social services field, where she gained much of her experience in working with linguistically and culturally diverse communities in Los Angeles County. Mrs. Chitica worked as a case manager at Project Nateen and a Family Service Coordinator at Hope Street Family Center. Mrs. Chitica earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Science from California State University, Northridge.
    Mark Strunin, MA , Community Outreach and Education, L.A. Care Health Plan, Los Angeles, CA
      Director, Community Outreach and Education
      L.A. Care Health Plan
      Community Outreach and Education
      555 W. Fifth Street
      29th Floor
      Los Angeles CA, USA 90013

      Phone: 213-694-1250 x4133
      Fax: 213-438-5729
      Email Address: mstrunin@lacare.org

      Biographical Sketch:       Mark Strunin directs the Community Outreach and Education Department for L.A. Care Health Plan. Through this department, staff support a system of over 380 consumer, advocate and provider members in eleven advisory groups across Los Angeles County. Prior to L.A. Care, Mark worked in several health care setting including Summit Health Ltd, St. Jude Medical Cardiac Rhythm Management Division and the American Red Cross Blood Services. Mark was an independent employee development and training services provider for eight years in the 1990’s. Mark is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UCLA and holds a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from California State University, Northridge. He earned a professional certificate in Dialogue and Public Engagement from the Fielding Institute, Santa Barbara. He is a Past President of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Society for Training and Development and served as a regional and National ASTD officer.
    Auleria Eakins , Community Outreach and Education, L.A. Care Health Plan, Los Angeles, CA
      Lead Community Outreach Resources Specialist
      L.A. Care Health Plan
      Community Outreach and Education
      555 W. Fifth Street , 29th Floor
      Los Angeles CA, USA 90013

      Phone: 213-694-1250 x4280
      Email Address: aeakins@lacare.org

      Biographical Sketch:       Auleria Eakins, a native of Los Angeles, She is a graduate of California State University Dominguez Hills where she received her B.S. in Health Science with a concentration in Health Care Management. She is currently in her last year of Graduate studies at working toward her Masters in Public Administration. Auleria is currently employed by L.A. Care Health Plan where she is the Lead Community Resource Specialist. Auleria spends countless hours working with adolescents and adults in various areas of Los Angeles County to promote health access and advocacy to low income and vulnerable populations. Ms. Eakins serves as a board member for T.H.E. Clinic, Inc. a federally funded qualified health center and is a proud member of The Los Angeles Chapter of the American Society of Public Administrators, American Society for Training and Development and Theta Upsilon Sigma Alumni Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.,
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