For over a decade, CHCF has worked to expand the use of telehealth in the California safety net to improve access to specialty and behavioral health care by Californians with low incomes, increase the efficiency and capacity of the health care workforce, and improve quality and health outcomes.

In 2020 there has been an enormous expansion of telehealth in the safety net, as health care practices have had to rapidly adopt a variety of telehealth capabilities to continue providing care while also keeping workers and patients safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this progress, much more must be done to ensure that the benefits of telehealth reach populations with low incomes throughout California and to ensure lasting improvements in access to care, both during and beyond the pandemic.

In collaboration with a variety of partners, CHCF identifies telehealth solutions that are scalable in the California safety net and works to reduce barriers to the wider adoption of telehealth. CHCF does this by:

• Funding telehealth demonstration projects in close collaboration with Medi-Cal managed care plans, safety-net hospitals and clinics, and other health care providers that serve a large number of Medi-Cal patients.
• Investing in private telehealth companies operating in California’s safety net (through the CHCF Innovation Fund).
• Supporting telehealth research, education, and policy advocacy through the Center for Connected Health Policy and other groups.