CMSP Local Health Connections Pilot Project
The Governing Board, through its CMSP Local Health Connections Pilot Project, seeks to test the effectiveness of providing local-level services and support to designated CMSP enrollees and likely CMSP enrollees that have complex medical and/or social conditions. The goal of the pilot project is to promote timely delivery of necessary medical and support services to the target population, improve health outcomes for the target population, link the target population to other resources and support, and improve the overall cost-effectiveness of expenditures made on behalf of the target population in comparison with expenditures made on similar CMSP enrollees that do not participate in the pilot project.
In 2010, the Governing Board funded five (5) Planning Grants and three (3) Implementation Grants. In 2011, the Governing Board funded an additional five (5) Implementation Grants. The pilot project will operate through June 30, 2013.
The Governing Board has contracted with The Lewin Group, Inc. to provide technical assistance and evaluation services for the pilot project. The Annual Interim Evaluation Report was released in February 2012 and is available for download and review.
For more information about the CMSP Local Health Connections Pilot Project, please contact Alison Kellen, Program Manager at (916) 649-2631 ext. 19 or akellen@cmspcounties.org.
For more information about a specific local project, please contact the site directly at:
- Butte: Ann Dickman (adickman@buttecounty.net)
- El Dorado: David Stoebel (davidstoebel@sbcglobal.net)
- Humboldt: Sharon Hunter (sharon.hunter@stjoe.org)
- Marin: Julie Van Winkle (jvanwinkle@marincounty.org)
- Mendocino: Sandy O'Ferrall (oferrasl@ah.org)
- Napa: Aura Silva (aura.silva@stjoe.org)
- Sonoma: Melinda Rivera (melindar@srhealthcenters.org)
- Sutter: Judy Miksell (jmikesell@co.sutter.ca.us)
CMSP Behavioral Health Pilot Project
In early 2008, CMSP began a three-year pilot project with 14 project partners to test the effectiveness of primary care driven, enhanced mental health and substance abuse treatment services for selected CMSP members with mental health and/or substance abuse treatment needs. The hypothesis being tested with the pilot project is:
Hypothesis: There is a population of CMSP members for whom short-term mental health treatment and/or substance abuse treatment will result in more effective and more cost-effective use of health care services.
The CMSP Governing Board contracted with The Lewin Group to evaluate the behavioral health pilot project. The final report was released in February 2011.
Wellness & Prevention Program
The Wellness and Prevention (W&P) program was a partnership between the Governing Board and The California Endowment (TCE) between 1998 and 2004. This partnership was designed to strengthen community capacity for decision-making in CMSP counties, provide opportunities to change the delivery of community based health services, and assist CMSP counties in securing future resources for sustaining effective programs.
The W&P program provided grants to the 34 CMSP counties. The final report of the Wellness and Prevention Program, "An Investment in Wellness for Rural California", was released in August 2004.

