Expanding Access to Healthcare: The Impact of St. Anthony’s Medi-Cal Outreach

February 18, 2025

When St. Anthony Foundation set out to reach 7,000 individuals to inform them about expanded Medi-Cal benefits that reach a broader population, as well as the redetermination process as part of a Kaiser Permanente grant, the goal was clear: ensure that vulnerable San Franciscans—many at risk of losing healthcare coverage—had the support they needed to enroll or renew their benefits. What happened next exceeded expectations.

By the end of the project, St. Anthony’s had reached over 9,000 individuals, far surpassing its original goal. Through targeted, multilingual outreach, innovative event partnerships, and a care-first approach, St. Anthony’s not only informed thousands about their healthcare options but also strengthened long-term systems for ensuring access to care.

Meeting the Community Where They Are
Understanding the complexity of Medi-Cal enrollment, St. Anthony’s expanded its outreach in ways that made healthcare assistance more accessible. The team translated materials into Spanish and Arabic, broadening their reach to underserved populations. They distributed these resources in key locations, including mosques, libraries, and community events.

Additionally, rather than limiting outreach to a few large-scale events, St. Anthony’s established ongoing partnerships with shelters, housing programs, and community organizations. By repeatedly returning to effective locations, such as Episcopal Community Services and Project Homeless Connect, the team built trust with community members who might otherwise have missed crucial enrollment deadlines.

Navigating Challenges and Expanding Solutions
In addition to surpassing our outreach goals, 413 individuals successfully enrolled in Medi-Cal, while 496 updated their information. Key insights enabled St. Anthony’s to enhance its Drop-in Clinic model, ensuring individuals receive medical care first, followed by immediate support from an Eligibility and Enrollment specialist. This “care first” approach has proven highly effective, boosting Medi-Cal enrollment and improving long-term patient retention.

A Lasting Impact Beyond the Grant

Key elements of the work will continue beyond the grant period, including:

• Maintaining a full-time bilingual Eligibility & Enrollment Specialist to guide individuals through the system.
• Routine Medi-Cal eligibility screenings for patients, ensuring no one falls through the cracks.
• Ongoing partnerships with shelters and housing providers, connecting more people to care.
• Continued outreach at the Father Alfred Center, supporting individuals in addiction recovery—especially justice-involved residents needing Medi-Cal county transfers.

The Kaiser grant didn’t just fund a short-term project; it helped strengthen St. Anthony’s ability to provide healthcare access. By reaching thousands of people, refining outreach strategies, and embedding enrollment support within existing services, this initiative has left a lasting mark on the health and well-being of San Francisco’s most vulnerable residents.

Looking Ahead
While the formal grant period has ended, St. Anthony’s work continues. The lessons learned will inform future outreach strategies, and the relationships built with community partners will keep expanding access to care. Because at St. Anthony’s, the commitment to health equity isn’t just about numbers—it’s about people, stability, and ensuring that everyone has a pathway to wellness.

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