ORANGE, Calif. (July 22, 2016) — The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) presented its 11th annual Supporting the Safety Net Award to Irvine-based Illumination Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to housing, education, health care and other resources for people in Orange County who are experiencing homelessness.

ACAP member CalOptima nominated Illumination Foundation for the award, which recognizes an organization that develops and implements innovative practices to meet the medical, behavioral or social needs of a vulnerable population. The award acknowledges Illumination Foundation’s work as a model worth replicating in the safety net environment.

Illumination Foundation provides targeted, interdisciplinary services to break or prevent the cycle of homelessness. The foundation offers its clients a wide range of resources, including housing, workforce training, education, health care and post-hospitalization care, which is known as recuperative care. 

“We are proud to work in partnership with Illumination Foundation by supporting recuperative care for homeless Medi-Cal members,” said Michael Schrader, CalOptima CEO. “A safe, clean place to recover from an illness or injury is something nearly everyone takes for granted. But for people experiencing homelessness, it’s a crucial service.”

Illumination Foundation runs three recuperative care centers in Southern California, providing for homeless patients who are strong enough to be discharged from the hospital but too weak to live safely on the streets. The recuperative care centers also connect patients to housing, social services, food, supplies and medical case management.

For more information about Illumination Foundation, visit www.ifhomeless.org. Information about the ACAP Supporting the Safety Net award is available at www.communityplans.net. 

About CalOptima

A county organized health system, CalOptima provides publicly funded health care coverage for low-income children, adults, seniors and people with disabilities in Orange County, California. CalOptima’s mission is to provide members with access to quality health care services delivered in a cost-effective and compassionate manner. In total, CalOptima serves more than 785,000 members with a network of more than 7,000 primary care doctors and specialists, as well as 30 hospitals.

Media Contact:
Bridget Kelly
Director, Communications
714-246-8765
bkelly@caloptima.org