L.A. Care Health Plan announced on Monday that it has created a $10 million wildfire relief fund to support providers in its network, along with its community partners and employees.
“L.A. Care’s emergency response teams have been collaborating with provider partners and community stakeholders from the beginning of the fire emergency to ensure they could serve our members. The health plan is already supporting providers by allocating resources to address staffing shortages and supply needs in the most impacted areas,” Martha Santana-Chin, L.A. Care CEO, said in a statement. “This additional funding will help speed up the recovery for those who are facing serious challenges. Ultimately, it means continued access to care and support services for the vulnerable residents that L.A. Care serves.”
The $10 million L.A. Care Network and Community Relief Fund will assist providers in the health plan’s network, along with county agencies, and community organizations as they rebuild after severe fire losses.
L.A. Care officials said at least nine employees of the health plan lost their homes in the fires, and dozens more were forced to evacuate. The relief fund will provide an additional 40 hours of paid time off for workers who lost their homes, and will increase the amount of paid volunteer time off employees can take to lend their support to people impacted by the fires. Employees will also be permitted to donate their own paid time off to affected co-workers.
“L.A. Care understands that without the appropriate assistance, there is a risk that employees will struggle with instability, be unable to support our members and providers — and potentially unable to continue their important work with L.A. Care,” Santana-Chin said. “We value our employees and their commitment to L.A. Care’s mission of providing high-quality care to the county’s low-income populations, so we want to ensure that they can continue to help fulfill that mission.”
The grants are being funded by a $1 million donation from the Realtors Relief Foundation. With the money, CAR will provide grants of up to $1,000, providing assistance such as mortgage relief, rent payments or temporary housing, such as hotel stays for displaced residents.
“With so many homes and businesses lost and a housing crisis that existed long before the fires, Realtors recognize the importance of reaching out and helping their communities to recover and rebuild,” CAR President Heather Ozur said in a statement. “As residents begin the long process of starting over, the Realtor community is glad to be able to provide some immediate support in their time of need. We encourage impacted families to apply today and take the first step toward recovery.”
Applications opened Monday, and the deadline to apply is April 30. Further details and applications are available online at www.car.org/difference/realtorscare. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.