In April 2021, the Camden Coalition’s National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs initiative convened representatives from five ecosystems of care from around the country to participate in an 18-month Ecosystems Learning Collaborative. The Ecosystems Learning Collaborative was an action-oriented opportunity for teams to learn from peers and technical experts about how to rapidly expand and sustain cross-sector partnerships to address the needs of individuals with complex health and social needs in their communities.

This is the story of how one ecosystem of care — in San Diego, California — was developed.

Ecosystem participants

• Rady Children’s Hospital — San Diego
  • California Kid’s Care
  • Center for Healthier Communities
• Copley-Price YMCA
• The Urban Collective Project
• UCSD Mas Fresco Prescription Program

Community of focus

Families enrolled in Medicaid with children who are chronically ill and/or have complex social needs, and who are struggling with their emotional and mental health.

Ecosystem aim

To expand and reinforce Rady’s San Diego community network of social and behavioral health providers, with the goal of increasing the percentage of California Kid’s Care members (pediatric Medi-Cal members) rating their overall mental or emotional health as good or excellent from 69% to 72%.

View the case study to learn how this ecosystem started, its successes and challenges, advice for others looking to build an ecosystem, and next steps.

Explore the other ecosystem case studies

• Allegheny, Pennsylvania
• Camden, New Jersey
• Spartanburg, South Carolina
• York, Pennsylvania