L.A. Care and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plans Unveil New, Vibrant Community Resource Center in Panorama City with Array of Health-Focused Offerings

Panorama City location is the latest addition to the network of 14 planned centers by year-end 2024

LOS ANGELES, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan today held a ribbon cutting ceremony for their Community Resource Center (CRC) in Panorama City, located at 7868 Van Nuys Blvd. in the Plant Shopping Center.

The new Center relocated from its original home in the Zocalito of Pacoima shopping center, where it operated from 2014 through 2023. The Panorama City location opened its doors in February 2024 with a larger footprint.

The Community Resource Center in Panorama City is the newest among the health plans’ jointly operated Centers throughout Los Angeles County, which are part of the two health plans’ five-year, $146 million commitment announced in 2019 to help address local health, behavioral, and social needs. The Center offers a wide range of free fitness and wellness classes, programs, and services that are open to health plan members and the public to enhance the community’s overall well-being.

“We are delighted to offer our Community Resource Center as a one-stop hub for the diverse populations of the San Fernando Valley, helping them stay active, healthy and informed,” said John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Care. “Our Center’s array of services is tailored to empower individuals with free classes, programs and readily available resources, all geared toward supporting health and social needs and enhancing overall quality of life.”

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

Fitness classes such as Zumba, Pilates, and yoga
Healthy cooking classes and group sessions with a registered dietitian
Multi-lingual assistance with healthcare coverage options, including Medi-Cal renewals

“We understand that for many people across Los Angeles County, accessing local health and social services can be a challenge, especially when they don’t understand how to navigate the healthcare system or know what services are available in their community,” said Kristen Cerf, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan. “The new Community Resource Center will be staffed by individuals who are bilingual and bicultural and will offer programs and services that address social determinants of health for people of all ages. We hope to break cultural and language barriers and positively impact the health and well-being of Panorama City residents and the surrounding communities we serve.”

The Center is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about the Community Resource Centers, please visit CommunityResourceCenterLA.org or click here for specific information about the Panorama City location.

About L.A. Care Health Plan

L.A. Care Health Plan is the largest health plan in Los Angeles County serving more than one of every four Angelenos. It is also the largest publicly operated 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 X, 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 530,000 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:

L.A. Care Health Plan

Penny Griego – (310) 613-8309

[email protected]

Blue Shield Promise Health Plan

Olga Gallardo – (323) 537-6364

[email protected]