Receive Project Update on the 211 Yolo Care Coordination HUB Pilot. (No general fund impact) (Morales) (Est. Staff Presentation: 10 min)

On November 12, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved $325,000 for “optional enhancement to 211 Yolo service delivery that could include a closed loop referral system” as part of the approval of projects in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Children, Youth and Family Priority Category totaling $1.95 million.

In the funding proposal submitted on Nov. 12, two allocations were submitted for 211 Yolo. One to shore up basic 211 Yolo service delivery for the next three fiscal years ($250,000); and the second was an “option” for an enhancement to 211 Yolo service delivery - which was approved by the Board. Due to changes in leadership at the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), no immediate action was taken to develop a plan for the allocated funding.

On June 24, 2025, county staff gave a 211 Update Presentation noting the allocated funding and announced meetings would begin between the County Administrator’s Office, HHSA and the Yolo County Office of Education to develop a funding plan. The group has held nine meetings since May 2025 focused on the development of a scope of services for the 211 Yolo enhancement. The ARP funding was moved to the General Fund so there is no deadline to spend the funds.

Care Coordination HUB Model Pilot
In July 2025, Gabriel Kendall, Executive Director of Community Link Capital Region, submitted a proposal to the county to utilize the funding allocated for a “Care Coordination Hub Model” pilot.

The proposed 211 Yolo Care Coordination HUB initiative is a two-year pilot project designed to strengthen Yolo County’s community systems navigation infrastructure by expanding care coordination capacity for residents with complex or multi-system needs while establishing a long-term foundation for coordinated access to health and social services.

Building on the existing 211 Yolo platform, the project will enhance care coordination services for higher-need individuals requiring longitudinal navigation support and bridge assistance to CalAIM Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports services, ensuring residents who face barriers navigating fragmented systems receive sustained guidance, follow-up, and successful service connections. Examples of higher-need individuals might be families experiencing homelessness or a youth exiting probation.

In parallel, the project will support the development of a standalone 211 Yolo website and digital resource hub that operationalizes a “hub-of-hubs” model, enabling residents, providers, and community partners to identify appropriate navigation entry points across key service sectors such as health, housing, food security, and economic stability.  A strong “hub-of-hubs” model would direct a resident to start with 211 Yolo, get them appropriately routed to service(s) with follow up from the resource or agency. Multiple needs assessments show that residents are often not successfully navigated across systems, resulting in missed or delayed connections to care.

By combining enhanced care coordination services with a publicly accessible navigation infrastructure, the project aims to improve identification of high-need residents, strengthen coordination across community navigation hubs, and create a more organized and accessible pathway into Yolo County’s existing care systems while building the groundwork for a scalable, long-term systems navigation framework.

Systems Navigation Workgroup
In 2025, the Yolo County Office of Education partnered with the Transformational Change Partnership at the University of Pacific - McGeorge School of Law to help address the eight countywide needs identified in the Roadmap Needs Assessment. “Improved Access to Service Information and Outreach” emerged as a key priority, highlighting longstanding challenges with fragmented systems and difficulty navigating services.

In response, the Roadmap to the Future initiative convened a Systems Navigation Workgroup composed of 14 cross-sector community members, including representatives from community resource centers, early learning, housing, food access, probation, healthcare, K–12 education, and county agencies. Many members are direct service providers, bringing practical, frontline experience with the barriers residents face. Over a nine-month period, the group has engaged in technical assistance and professional training to strengthen outcomes-focused problem-solving and systems-level coordination.

As part of its implementation strategy, the Workgroup has developed a systems navigation workplan that directly supports the proposed 211 Yolo Care Coordination HUB Pilot. In this role, the Workgroup is positioned to serve as a community-informed advisory body (“community board”) for the pilot, providing real-time feedback, surfacing provider and client experience, and helping guide implementation to ensure it is practical, aligned, and responsive to community needs.

The Workgroup also brings critical insight from past efforts, including lessons learned from prior attempts to implement closed-loop referral systems in Yolo County. Members have identified key barriers such as inconsistent agency participation, limited training, and lack of shared ownership, and are committed to helping the pilot proactively address these challenges.

To further inform pilot development, the Workgroup has reviewed existing systems navigation needs assessments and conducted a provider survey to better understand current referral practices, gaps, and opportunities across Yolo County. This foundation positions the Workgroup to play an ongoing role in strengthening coordination, building partner buy-in, and supporting the long-term success and scalability of the HUB model.

About 211 Yolo 
211 Yolo is a critical, 24/7 access point connecting residents—especially those in rural, underserved, and high-need communities—to health and social services. As a free, confidential, and multilingual resource, it helps individuals overcome barriers like transportation, digital access, and language to find support for housing, food, mental health, and more.

In 2025, 211 Yolo received over 10,000 calls, which exceeded its capacity by 55%. 4 out of 10 calls were related to housing, with utility assistance the next highest need. This demand underscores both the scale of housing insecurity in Yolo County and the opportunity to better connect residents to CalAIM Enhanced Care Management and Community Support services.

The Board may consider the following options regarding the previously identified enhancement funding associated with expanded 211 Yolo care coordination and closed-loop referral capabilities:

County Administrators Office
Yolo County Office of Education
Health and Human Services Agency
Systems Navigation Workgroup
211 Yolo
Yolo County Children’s Alliance
Yolo County Housing
First 5 Yolo