CalAIM, The California Department of Health Care Services' (DHCS) five-year initiative to improve quality of life and health outcomes of the Medi-Cal population through a population health approach, prioritizing prevention and whole-person care, provides health care and affordable housing providers with a unique funding opportunity, including Enhanced Care Management, to collaborate in expanding medical and social services. Join the Torrens Forum to hear from L.A. Care Health Plan, Jamboree Housing, Kaiser Permanente and Venice Family Clinic and learn more about the new CalAIM provider funding and the opportunities it presents to collaborate in providing affordable housing and needed health care and social services to our most vulnerable populations.
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Featured Speakers:
John Baackes, Chief Executive Officer, L.A. Care Health Plan
Mark Costa, Board Member, Illumination Foundation
Michelle Gaskill-Hames, President, Southern California and Hawaii Regions, Kaiser Permanente
Dr. Coley King, Director Homeless Services, Venice Family Clinic
Talesha Payne, Vice President Jamboree Housing
Panelist: John Baackes, Chief Executive Officer, L.A. Care Health Plan
John Baackes is Chief Executive Officer of L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan serving over two million members in Los Angeles County. Mr. Baackes works with L.A. Care’s Board of Governors to set the strategic vision while overseeing the day-to-day operations.
Before joining L.A. Care, he served as president of AmeriHealth Caritas VIP Plans, overseeing the Medicare Advantage business unit.
John currently serves as Chairman of the Board for Charles Drew University. He sits on the boards of America’s Health Insurance Plans, California Association of Health Plans, Local Health Plans of California, Project Angel Food, and Urban Voices Project.
Mr. Baackes holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
Panelist: Michelle Gaskill-Hames, President, Southern California and Hawaii Regions, Kaiser Permanente
Gaskill-Hames joined Kaiser Permanente in 2016 and for 6 years served in a progression of leadership roles in the Northern California market, including senior vice president and area manager for both Redwood City and Greater Southern Alameda, interim regional chief nurse executive, and senior vice president of health plan and hospital operations. She also served as the Northern California incident commander for Kaiser Permanente’s COVID-19 response.
In February 2022, Gaskill-Hames was named chief operating officer and chief strategy, growth, and experience officer for Southern California and Hawaii. She was appointed interim president for the combined regions in April 2023 and assumed the role permanently in September of 2023.
Gaskill-Hames serves on several professional and community boards, including the California Hospital Association executive board, the Integrated Healthcare Association executive board, the boards of the national Healthcare Standards Institute and the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco. She serves on the CEO Council of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the Southern California Leadership Council, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ Business Cabinet.
She holds a master’s degree in health services administration and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Michigan. She also has a project management certification from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Panelist: Dr. Coley King, Director Homeless Services, Venice Family Clinic
Coley King began his medical training at the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. King has been practicing family medicine at Venice Family Clinic for more than 15 years, and he is the architect of their renowned street medicine program. Under his guidance, this specialized program has grown to nine teams of providers and, in some instances, a psychiatrist, who work with partners at local social services agencies to address the needs of people who are currently unhoused.
The community he serves includes many less fortunate individuals who have suffered from illness, addiction, and plain bad luck. He has developed a curriculum to formalize the training in street medicine that he has provided to countless residents over the past 15 years. Dr. King strives to understand their predicament as he would his own and to help them achieve their best. He is humbled and fortunate to be able to serve these patients.
Panelist: Talesha Payne, Vice President Jamboree Housing
Talesha Payne, VP of Community Impact, is responsible for designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating housing-based programs and services for special populations. She also leads the development of CalAIM service strategies and health system relationships to enhance Jamboree's ability to provide services to our residents and communities. Talesha is a strong advocate for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), which offers long-term rental subsidies and Intensive Case Management Services (ICMS) to individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness and have disabilities, chronic medical conditions, and/or behavioral health conditions. She believes, to be effective, supportive housing programs must meet the unique needs of the communities they serve, providing culturally responsive and equitable services. Talesha is a member of the Orange County Continuum of Care Board and Housing for Health Orange County Board.
Moderator: Mark Costa, Board Member, Illumination Foundation
Mark is the Vice Chairman of the Illumination Foundation, an Orange County based non profit organization providing Recuperative Care, Shelter and Permanent Supportive Housing to over 800 individuals each day within the Los Angeles, Orange and Inland Empire Counties. He is also a founding Board Member of Be Well Orange County, an innovative Mental Health organization serving all resident of Orange County, including the unhoused. Now retired, Mark had a 42 year Health Care career, serving in senior leadership roles within the Kaiser Permanente and Little Company of Mary, Providence organizations. He is a graduate of the UCLA School of Public Health and has served on many health care associated boards including, United to End Homelessness, the Hospital Council of Southern California and the California Hospital Association.