There has been a significant and ongoing investment in recent years to create more effective connections between healthcare and social services, recognizing that people’s physical, mental, and social health are intertwined. First 5 has long recognized the need to support the whole child and the whole family in our work.
First 5 and our partners recently launched a Baby Bonus Pilot Program in San Mateo County. This program is very exciting because it explores the impact of both monthly cash aid and coordinated care support to holistically support babies and families.
Click here to learn more about the Baby Bonus Pilot Program.
The Baby Bonus program brings together many diverse partners, including the Health Plan of San Mateo County (HPSM). Learn more about HPSM’s role in the Baby Bonus program below.
Partner Feature: Health Plan of San Mateo
The Health Plan of San Mateo (HPSM), San Mateo County’s largest Medi-Cal health plan, serves residents most affected by the County’s high cost of living by ensuring access to high-quality healthcare services and supports. HPSM officially joined as a program partner in 2023 following their participation in the San Mateo County Rising Ending Child Poverty Summit hosted by the Jackie Speier Foundation. As a local managed care plan, HPSM is in a unique position to promote the Baby Bonus Program. Their direct access to eligible participants, as well as strong ties to community organizations, enables them to blend services and benefits together for their members.
To enroll eligible families, HPSM’s Health Promotion Unit is currently conducting direct outreach through its Baby + Me Program. This program promotes early and continuous medical care for babies and families while connecting them to additional support services such as breast pumps, food programs and more.
Through the Baby Bonus Program, HPSM was able to expand the new Community Health Worker (CHW) benefit by hiring CHWs that will meet with families after their child’s birth and offer care coordination, in partnership with Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and multiple County agencies. This includes offering them health education, navigation assistance, and social support.
Over 40 HPSM members are already enrolled in the Baby Bonus Program. HPSM Chief Health Officer, Amy Scribner, says “Through the Baby Bonus Program, Health Plan of San Mateo has been able to educate families on using their benefits and services to meet their needs as well as refer them to various County resources. For these new parents, it means better health outcomes, health equity, and access to care. These positive results are core to our mission and fit with our vision that healthy is for everyone.”
Through this integrated approach to supporting families for the first three years of life, HPSM hopes to better understand the Baby Bonus Program’s impacts. A key goal is easing the day-to-day financial burden on families, given the already high and rising costs of living in San Mateo County. HPSM has received overwhelmingly positive responses from families that have been offered this intervention.
Learn more about the Health Plan of San Mateo.
