Sacramento, California – November 19, 2020 – Sacramento Native American Health Center (SNAHC) has received a $1 million dollar grant from Elevate Youth California, a project of The Center at Sierra Health Foundation under contract with the California Department of Health Care Services. Elevate Youth California is a statewide program supporting community leaders who are addressing substance use disorder by investing in the youth development and activism of youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth ages 12 to 26.
SNAHC will use this funding to establish the Healthy L.E.A.P. (Leadership, Equity, and Advocacy by Patients) program, focused on internal policy, systems and environmental changes that promote youth participation in the healthcare setting and influence patients’ ability to carry knowledge forward to shape social justice efforts later in their lives and careers. Funding will support youth training and listening sessions, Community Advisory meetings, mentoring trainings, and construction of a Youth and Family Space in South Sacramento.
“This grant will support our whole-person care model by teaching our young people to be their own advocates. We cannot underestimate the importance of the youth voice and their ability to lead and impact policy based on their own knowledge and experience. They know what they need to decrease substance use amongst their peers, it is our job to listen and support their efforts,” says Britta Guerrero, Chief Executive Officer. The grant will be paid over a three-year period.
Elevate Youth California awarded a total of $29.7 million to 32 community-based and Tribal organizations. Funding for the program comes through California Department of Health Care Services’ Proposition 64 California Cannabis Tax Fund, Allocation 3, Youth Education Prevention Early Intervention and Treatment Account. A full list of organizations that received grants can be found at the Elevate Youth California website.
Sacramento Native American Health Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Federally Qualified Health Center committed to continue and share the legacy of a healthy American Indian / Alaska Native community based on cultural values delivered through a traditional, innovative and accessible patient-centered health home. SNAHC offers primary care, oral health, behavioral health, specialty, and supportive services in midtown Sacramento. We are open to all, and all are welcome. For more information on SNAHC, visit www.snahc.org or call 916-341-0575 for an appointment.
