California Health & Wellness (CHW) announced today it has awarded a $25,000 grant to Lighthouse Counseling and Family Resource Center (Lighthouse) to help mitigate Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) caused by the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The demand for these types of services for children has increased dramatically during the pandemic due to social isolation, increased child abuse, breaks in education routines, and an increase in domestic violence witnessed by children.

As many families were encouraged to stay home during the pandemic to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus, the public health response to the pandemic may have even amplified some ACEs – especially those affecting low-income households.

“COVID-19 has taken a physical, mental, and emotional toll on so many of our communities,” said Brian Ternan, President and CEO of CHW and Health Net. “We’re proud to support Lighthouse’s work in providing families with the resources and counseling they need to manage stressful emotions and maintain safe, supportive households.”

To date, Lighthouse has reached 8,500 residents with information on managing stress and reducing familial violence in the home during the COVID-19 pandemic. With this additional funding, they have provided individual, evidence-based counseling services to more than 250 local residents.

“COVID-19 greatly increased stress, anxiety, and depression in the home,” said Gary McDonald, Executive Director of Lighthouse Counseling and Family Resource Center. “As a result, Lighthouse witnessed a 40% increase in children who are receiving counseling services due to suicidal ideation. We are proud to say that 100% of the children we are seeing for counseling are reporting improvement.”

“Lighthouse has served a vital service to our community as we navigate the consequences of social isolation during the shutdowns,” said Placer County Supervisor Bonnie Gore. “We are grateful to California Health & Wellness for providing this grant to meet the needs of our residents during these challenging times.”

Specifically, CHW’s grant funded an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) program to identify red flags among participating families and work to reduce and eliminate child abuse and neglect. Services offered within an intensive case management plan for Lighthouse clients include the following:

• Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy
• Domestic violence therapy
• Child play therapy
• Road to wellness (anxiety and depression classes)
• Employment readiness classes
• Financial management classes
• Family wellness and parenting classes
• Assistance with accessing resources such as diapers, car seats, gift cards for food, etc.

Lighthouse focused its campaign specifically in Placer County, including the communities of Lincoln, Roseville, Rocklin, Auburn, and surrounding areas.

CHW’s whole person care model supports children where they need help – at home, in schools or at the doctor’s office. It is why the company invests in preventive programs such as screenings and local ACEs initiatives. CHW’s work includes continued provider and community education to raise awareness about ACEs and culturally competent approaches to combat inequities based on race, culture, immigration status, and other factors.

About California Health & Wellness

At California Health & Wellness, we believe every person deserves a safety net for their health. That is why we have been offering access to quality health coverage to Californians in 19 rural counties since 2013. In fact, we operate as part of the state's Medi-Cal Managed Care Rural Expansion program. This expansion brings health coverage to people eligible for Medi-Cal, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and other programs. Headquartered in Northern California, our work is based on the core belief that access to quality healthcare is best delivered locally. We are dedicated to helping transform the communities we serve, one person at a time. That is why we partner with local, regional and community-based organizations to deliver access to healthcare, pharmacy, vision and transportation services for our members. California Health & Wellness is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), a Fortune 25 company that provides affordable and high-quality products to nearly 1 in 15 individuals across the nation.

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