FHD awards $680K in affordable health contracts

FALLBROOK – More than $680,000 in no-cost health services will benefit low and fixed income residents facing the area’s top health concerns, including cancer, diabetes and hypertension, made possible with support from community health contracts awarded this year by the Fallbrook Healthcare District (FHD).

The voter-approved special district collects roughly $1.6 million annually to cover health care provider shortages, uninsured Californians, low-income patients and underserved populations.

Since 2000, the district community health contracts have supported more than 270 health programs offering no-cost services for the North Inland San Diego County unincorporated communities of Fallbrook, Bonsall, Rainbow and De Luz. In the last five years, the District granted $2,983,504.

“This year, we fully assessed the health needs of our 57,000 residents in an effort to align our community health contracts with top wellness threats including heart disease, hypertension and diabetes,” said Executive Director Bobbi Palmer of the Fallbrook Healthcare District. “Prostate, colorectal and female breast cancer deaths were highest in Fallbrook compared with the rest of San Diego County this year and so, we added Michelle’s Place in nearby Temecula to our contracts.”

With a largely 55-plus population, several contracts support senior programs offering transportation, health screenings and education as well as nutritious food options, including those delivered to the home. Other health contracts support underserved families and youth by offering dental and eye exams, access to a local food pantry, disability support and mental health services.

In addition to contractual services, Fallbrook Healthcare District directly operates health programs including the Community Collaborative Health & Wellness Committee, Fallbrook Community Healthcare Resource Directory, Healthcare Hero, Woman of Wellness (WOW) and North County Community Collaborative Health Initiative.

For fiscal year 2016-2017, the Fallbrook Healthcare District awarded community health contracts to the following organizations: Boys & Girls Club of North County ($37,200), Fallbrook Citizens Crime Prevention Committee ($8,000), Fallbrook Family Health Center ($85,000), Fallbrook Food Pantry ($60,000), Fallbrook Senior Center ($62,138), Fallbrook Smiles Project ($70,000), Fallbrook Union High School ($6,500), Foundation for Senior Care ($130,089), Healthy Adventures ($9,000), Jeremiah’s Ranch ($12,000), Mental Health Systems – North Inland Community Prevention Program ($9,620), Michelle’s Place ($15,000), North County Fire Protection District ($29,839), Palomar Family Counseling ($74,000), Palomar Health Foundation ($10,000), REINS ($46,300), Trauma Intervention Program of San Diego ($8,000) and UCSD Eye Mobile for Children ($8,500). The Fallbrook Healthcare District also has provided financial support for urgent care services over the last 2 years.