24 Years of Planting Change

Cultural Competency / Health Workforce / PRIME

TCE leads philanthropic efforts to diversify the health workforce and advocate for language access improvements in the health system.

The system’s healthcare workforce is highly unrepresentative of the state’s population, its financing is misaligned- incentivizing volume over value or health outcomes – and a strong power imbalance exists between physicians and patients and communities.

The California Endowment has undertaken several initiatives to fix this misalignment and imbalance.

The 21st Century Pathways to Health Careers initiative allocated grants to support statewide and local programs that create career paths in healthcare for youth in grades 7-16.

The initiative is organized around three strategic goals and outcomes: increased career opportunities in healthcare for young Californians, especially boys and young men of color; a health workforce populated by local residents in frontline jobs supporting primary care, community-based prevention, patient-centered medical homes, and integrated and coordinated care models; and a larger and more skilled healthcare workforce able to provide high-quality, culturally responsive, and linguistically competent primary care and community health services in places of greatest need.

We also focused on supporting high-quality workforce development programs that enabled healthcare workers to improve their skills and prepare for high demand occupations in the public healthcare sector while training community health workers and medical assistants, enabling them to be better integrated into the state’s health services system.

$78.2M
to CA organizations working to boost the size and diversity of the state's healthcare workforce

“Whether the culprit is COVID-19, or Influenza, or Tuberculosis, or Smallpox – the public’s health is best protected when ALL are welcome and covered in the system.”
DR. ROBERT K. ROSS President & CEO, The California Endowment

Browse Other Changes Planted by Dr. Ross

Building Healthy Communities $1B invested over 10 years

Health4All 38.6 million lives impacted

Youth Awards 37 total awards given

Schools Not Prisons & BMOC Millions reached since 2016

Farmworker Health $50M initiative

TCE Grant Making 2023 $381M awarded

Parks for All Hundreds of millions leveraged for parks investments in CA

Youth on the Board 1st of large foundations in US to have youth on the board

Childhood Obesity & Freshworks $272M to expand access to fresh and healthy foods in low-income communities

CHIS 20,000 households interviewed annually to find health gaps in CA

Kids Health Coverage Campaign $4M to help enroll children in health programs

TCE Headquarters 125,000+ use our facilities every year

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Wishing Wall

Dr. Ross,
Wish you peace and reflective joy brother.
- Efrain Escobedo

May the force be with you in your new journey!
- Revolve Impact

Dr. Ross,
Thank you for all that you have done to advance justice and equity in our communities.

Dang Bob! You really leaving? You really reading all this good stuff?! Ok man! Among so many of the things I already said, you baaaad, Dude. Much love!

You inspired me to keep endeavoring in education even when it's hard. Thank you.

Dr. Ross,
Thank you for all your hard work. Wishing you tons of reset and peace, Dr. Ross.
- Nancy Nunez

Dr. Ross,
Thank you for your unwavering support of the HCA and the BHC. You made a difference in the world, and supported us to do the same.
In gratitude,
- Yvonne Maria Jimenez
NLSLA

Dr. Ross,
I hope this next chapter fills you up as you get to witness the work and people you have nurtured for all these years.

It’s been a blessing to us and the movement to have you. Wishing you lots of love in your next chapter.

Dr. Ross,
Wishing you special times with your daughter. Relax and enjoy the beach.
Love,
- Marie P.

Bob -
“Dr. Ross” - thank you for your leadership, support, and contributions towards health equity and health justice.
With gratitude,
- Ignatius Bau

Dr. Ross,
I hope you have some amazing adventures planned. Enjoy!
- Andrea Williams (Southside Coalition)

Wishing you all the love you can handle…. And wonderful memories of years at TCE!
- Elwood

Blessings upon blessings! Looking forward to all your journey takes you!

Thank you, Bob! THis Center for Strategic Partnership thrives because you helped nurture the value of partnerships. I will be forever grateful to you and for you. Plus I love that you are not shy about spirituality.

Best wishes!

I wish that you receive as much as you’ve provided to so many.
Much love,
- Steve Delgado

Hey Bob!
Best wishes for what’s next! Love you!

A tu salud! Con cariño y respeto.

Thank you for all that you do. God bless.

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