Funds will support statewide efforts by community and social service organizations to connect climate devices, housing assistance and nutrition services to eligible Oregon Health Plan members.
Portland, Ore. – OHA and coordinated care organizations (CCOs) this month awarded a combined $37 million to community organizations across the state to help support the delivery of health-related social needs (HRSN) benefits to eligible Oregon Health Plan (OHP / Medicaid) members. The grants – called Community Capacity Building Funds (CCBFs) – will support health providers and organizations to develop what they need to be able to participate in the Medicaid delivery system.
Health-related social needs benefits address basic needs, such as housing and nutrition, that affect Oregonians’ health. The state launched climate benefits in March including air conditioners, air filters and other equipment to keep eligible members healthy during extreme weather events. New housing benefits will begin rolling out November 1, 2024, and nutrition benefits will be available starting in January 2025. The CCBF grants will help prepare community-based organizations to deliver these new benefits and improve health outcomes by preventing homelessness, heat-related illnesses and costly urgent care visits.
In honoring the government-to-government relationship with the Nine Federally Recognized Tribes of Oregon, an additional $11.9 million of CCBF funding has been set aside for the Nine Tribes. Tribes have the opportunity to build their own HRSN programs to best serve their community members who will qualify.
HRSN services and CCBF grants are part of Oregon’s 1115 Medicaid waiver, which expands coverage and delivers over a billion dollars in new federal funding to the state. Medicaid waivers allow states the flexibility to test new ways to deliver and pay for Medicaid benefits, with approval from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). Oregon’s 1115 Medicaid waiver includes several first-in-the-nation benefits for OHP members; community-based organizations (CBOs) and partners will be integral to delivering these new services.
“One of our primary goals in delivering health-related social needs benefits, is to partner and align with existing community groups to reduce siloes in services for OHP members,” said Emma Sandoe, Oregon’s Medicaid Director. “These funds will help lend support to existing systems and weave Medicaid benefits into the community-based fabric of service providers.”
To receive CCBFs, organizations needed to apply and plan to provide HRSN services in a way that is culturally and linguistically appropriate, responsive and trauma-informed. Funds can be used for technology, workforce development, development of business practices or outreach and education related to the provision of HRSN services. Organizations eligible for CCBF can be in the following categories: CBOs, social-services agencies, traditional health care workers, child welfare providers, HRSN network managers, government agencies or providers that focus on housing, nutrition, climate, case management, outreach and engagement.
2024 Community Capacity Building Funds overview:
- More than $37 million was awarded to 161 organizations across Oregon.
- 40% of the funds ($14.7 million) went to organizations that will provide housing benefits.
- Nearly 70% of the funding (almost $26 million) went to support workforce development.
- More than 25% of funds went to community-based organizations with no prior relationships with CCOs – helping to expand provider networks in local communities.
Additional information about CCBF is located on the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) CCBF web page, including details about each grantee. Information on the new climate and housing benefits, including eligibility requirements, can be found on the Health-Related Social Needs benefits web page.
###
