L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise Bring Much Needed Community Resource Center to North Long Beach, Enriching the Community with Free Health-Focused Programs and Services

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan today announce the official grand opening celebration for their Community Resource Center in Long Beach. The Center, located at 5599 Atlantic Avenue, is one of 12 out of 14 planned centers jointly operated by the health plans throughout Los Angeles County.     

The Center offers a wide range of free fitness and wellness classes, programs, and services that are open to the general public to enhance the community's overall well-being.

"At a time when life stress seems to be through the roof, we are pleased to offer free resources that positively contribute to physical, mental, and social health," said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. "There is something for everyone under one roof, so we welcome residents of Long Beach to take advantage of these offerings and jumpstart a healthier lifestyle."

Visitors to the center will have access to various offerings, including:

• Fitness activities such as Zumba, yoga, cardio dance, and resistance training
• Nutrition classes and hands-on cooking demonstrations
• Homework help for students in grades K-12
• Stress reduction and management classes
• Educational resources about healthcare coverage options including Medi-Cal renewals

"Today marks an important milestone for Blue Shield Promise's partnership with L.A. Care and joint commitment of $146 million to open 14 community resource centers across Los Angeles County," said Kristen Cerf, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan. "So much of our work to improve the health of Medi-Cal populations is about meeting people where they are in the community and empowering them with access to resources they need to lead healthier lives. The establishment of this Center, gives Long Beach residents a one-stop destination to enhance their lives and personal wellbeing."

L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise recognize that building healthier communities requires addressing multiple social factors that impact health. Therefore, the Community Resource Centers and programming have been designed with a holistic approach.         

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will include the presence of several local elected officials, and features a Acjachemen tribal blessing, Cambodian blessing dance by Modern Apsara Company, and orchestral music performed by students from the neighboring Lindbergh STEM Academy. The Center is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. To learn more about the Community Resource Centers, visit www.CommunityResourceCenterLA.org.

About L.A. Care Health Plan
L.A. Care Health Plan serves more than 2.8 million members in Los Angeles County, making it the largest publicly operated health plan in the country. L.A. Care offers four health coverage plans including Medi-Cal, L.A. Care Covered™️, L.A. Care Medicare Plus and the PASC-SEIU Homecare Workers Health Care Plan, all dedicated to being accountable and responsive to members. As a public entity, L.A. Care's mission is to provide access to quality health care for L.A. County's low-income communities, and to support the safety net required to achieve that purpose. L.A. Care prioritizes quality, access and inclusion, elevating health care for all of L.A. County. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

About Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan
Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan is a managed care organization, wholly owned by Blue Shield of California, offering Medi-Cal. It is led by healthcare professionals with a "members-first" philosophy and committed to building a quality network of providers and partnering with community organizations for more than 537,618 members across Los Angeles and San Diego counties. For more information about Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, please visit www.blueshieldca.com/promise. For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit news.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

Media Contacts:
Blue Shield Promise
Mashi Nyssen
626-436-4345
[email protected]   

L.A. Care
Penny Griego
310-613-8309
[email protected] 

SOURCE Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan