Bay Area Community Services Assesses Readiness

The
 goal
 of
 the
 Linkage
 Lab
 grant
 is
 to
 provide
 BACS
 with
 the
 necessary
 training
 and
 technical
 assistance 
to 
develop
contracts
 with 
health
 care 
providers 
to 
deliver
 products
 or
 services
 that
 enable
 aging
 with
 dignity.
 BACS
 is
 one
 of
 six
 organizations
 selected
 to
 participate
 in
 Linkage 
Lab.
 This
 24
 month 
initiative
 will 
allow 
BACS
 to
 better
 coordinate
 its
 senior
 services
 with
 the
 health care
 sector,
 thus
 improving
 the
 quality
 of
 care
 for
 elders
 with
 chronic
 conditions
 and
 functional
 limitations
 while
 at
 the
 same
 time
 diversifying
 revenue 
streams 
for
 the 
organization.

BACS
 will
 begin
 by
 assessing
 their
 entire
 organization
 and
 infrastructure.
 They
 will
 identify
 both
 current
 and
 needed
 strengths
 and
 capabilities
 that
 would
 allow
 them
 to
 interface
 with
 health
 care
 partners;
 identify
 services
 and
 expertise
 that
 are
 valuable
 to
 managed
 care
 plans;
 and
 learn
 how
 to
 package
 those
 services
 and
 calculate
 their
 true
 cost.
 BACS
 will
 be
 building
 relationships
 with
 health
 care
 entities
 and
 following
 a
 practical
 path
 to
 partner
 and
 contract
 with
 local
 health
 plans
 to
 provide
 long‐term
 services
 and
 supports 
for 
dual
 eligibles.

Recognizing 
the 
role
 BACS
 will 
play
 as 
a 
change 
agent 
in 
Alameda
 County, 
Ms. 
Almanza
 will
 be
 sharing
 Linkage
 Lab
 training
 materials
 and
 tools
 with
 the
 supportive
 services
 community. 
Stay 
tuned
 as 
this
 project 
develops.