Welcome
As we reflect on a year marked by change and adaptation, I am honored to share Heluna Health’s 2024–2025 Impact Report. This has been a year of transition for our organization and for the broader public health field. In September, Dr. Blayne Cutler stepped down after more than a decade of dedicated leadership, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Interim CEO during this pivotal moment. The national landscape continues to shift, with evolving federal priorities, uncertain funding structures, and an environment where the value of science is too often questioned. Yet through all this, Heluna Health remains anchored by our commitment to advancing population health through evidence, equity, and meaningful partnership.
For more than 50 years, our model has helped communities navigate complexity with strength and stability. Today, we support hundreds of initiatives with comprehensive solutions spanning program development, fiscal and administrative services, full-cycle grants management, training, technical assistance, and direct service delivery. Our partners across public agencies, healthcare systems, and community organizations rely on us so they can remain focused on what they do best; providing essential services that help individuals and families live healthier, more secure lives.
This year’s featured stories highlight the depth, breadth, and resilience of our work. Our WIC program stands out as a hallmark of innovation and growth. Under the leadership of Executive Director Kiran Saluja—who will be stepping down in 2026 after an extraordinary tenure—WIC has expanded its research capacity, strengthened peer-to-peer support through the Cinnamoms program, and broadened early literacy efforts with the Little by Little School Readiness program. Kiran’s vision has helped shape a program that meets families’ needs with compassion, cultural relevance, and evidence-based solutions.
We also highlight our partnership with LANES, a nonprofit that supports Los Angeles healthcare organizations in meeting state data-sharing requirements and improving access to important health information. And we return to Poquita’s Garden, which we previewed in last year’s report, to share how its launch came to life through community events that brought 10,000 books, children’s readings, and hands-on nutrition activities to families across Los Angeles.
Thank you for your continued support. Together, we are meeting this moment of transition with steadiness, purpose, and an enduring commitment to the communities we serve.
Peter Dale, CPCM, MA
Interim President and CEO
Welcome
Peter Dale, CPCM, MA
Interim President and CEO
As we reflect on a year marked by change and adaptation, I am honored to share Heluna Health’s 2024–2025 Impact Report. This has been a year of transition for our organization and for the broader public health field. In September, Dr. Blayne Cutler stepped down after more than a decade of dedicated leadership, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Interim CEO during this pivotal moment. The national landscape continues to shift, with evolving federal priorities, uncertain funding structures, and an environment where the value of science is too often questioned. Yet through all this, Heluna Health remains anchored by our commitment to advancing population health through evidence, equity, and meaningful partnership.
For more than 50 years, our model has helped communities navigate complexity with strength and stability. Today, we support hundreds of initiatives with comprehensive solutions spanning program development, fiscal and administrative services, full-cycle grants management, training, technical assistance, and direct service delivery. Our partners across public agencies, healthcare systems, and community organizations rely on us so they can remain focused on what they do best; providing essential services that help individuals and families live healthier, more secure lives.
This year’s featured stories highlight the depth, breadth, and resilience of our work. Our WIC program stands out as a hallmark of innovation and growth. Under the leadership of Executive Director Kiran Saluja—who will be stepping down in 2026 after an extraordinary tenure—WIC has expanded its research capacity, strengthened peer-to-peer support through the Cinnamoms program, and broadened early literacy efforts with the Little by Little School Readiness program. Kiran’s vision has helped shape a program that meets families’ needs with compassion, cultural relevance, and evidence-based solutions.
We also highlight our partnership with LANES, a nonprofit that supports Los Angeles healthcare organizations in meeting state data-sharing requirements and improving access to important health information. And we return to Poquita’s Garden, which we previewed in last year’s report, to share how its launch came to life through community events that brought 10,000 books, children’s readings, and hands-on nutrition activities to families across Los Angeles.
Thank you for your continued support. Together, we are meeting this moment of transition with steadiness, purpose, and an enduring commitment to the communities we serve.
Peter Dale, CPCM, MA
Interim President and CEO
Healthy, strong communities for all.
OUR MISSION
Heluna Health enhances the health, wellness, and resilience of every community we serve.
Working Across the Population Health Spectrum
Behavioral and Mental
Health Services
Communicable and
Infectious Diseases
Family Resource Support
Homelessness and
Supportive Housing
Food and Nutrition
Maternal and
Child Health
Nurturing Community Health through PHFE WIC
Supporting LANES in Advancing Patient-Centered Healthcare
Strengthening Communities Through Literacy and Nutrition
Launching Poquita’s Garden, Heluna Health’s First Children’s Book
Fueling Healthy Futures for Southern California Families
Nurturing Community Health through PHFE WIC
Step into PHFE WIC’s Annual Family Resource Fair and you’ll be met with smiling staff, vibrant community resource tables, and giveaways of essentials from diapers to books. This is just one example of how Heluna Health’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or ‘PHFE WIC’ program supports families all year long.
As Heluna Health’s largest program and the nation’s largest WIC network, PHFE WIC serves more than 190,000 women, children, and families each month providing resources including healthy food, books, parenting groups, and regular visits with Registered Dieticians and Lactation Consultants at no cost. Last year, WIC participants redeemed more than $180 million in food benefits and had more than 800,000 touchpoints with PHFE WIC nutrition counselors. This combination of resource access and education is what makes WIC one of the most successful public health programs in the world, continuing to adapt and thrive amid the changing public health landscape.
At the helm of PHFE WIC’s remarkable growth, Executive Director Kiran Saluja has been a tireless champion for the program. Now, as she prepares to step down after more than 40 years of service to WIC, we honor her legacy and spirit of innovation that will continue to drive PHFE WIC forward.
Meeting Evolving Needs: Enhancing Support for Families
Under Saluja’s leadership, PHFE WIC has expanded to respond to specific gaps identified in the communities it serves. During the pandemic when families could not attend in person, the program quickly shifted to virtual technology, maintaining care while keeping staff and participants safe. These innovations remain core to the program today, helping it reach more families, expand access, and sustain high-quality, personalized support.
PHFE WIC has played a critical role in helping close the gap in breastfeeding rates between low- and higher-income women. In the past year, the program hosted more than 300 breastfeeding groups and support circles, ensuring families have access to expert guidance and peer support.
Additionally, understanding the importance of culturally centered support and the need for more early childhood literacy resources, PHFE WIC launched CinnaMoms and the Little by Little School Readiness Program. With its pioneering in-house research department, PHFE WIC continuously uses real-time data to refine programs and ensure families receive the most effective, responsive care possible.
“Our WIC program is more than a nutrition service, it is a cornerstone of public health in California,” says Peter Dale, Heluna Health’s Interim CEO and President. “PHFE WIC delivers direct services to hundreds of thousands of women, children, and families each month, while ensuring care is accessible, culturally relevant, and informed by data. We are proud to provide the leadership and infrastructure that enable this vital program.”
Cultivating Community: Celebrating 10 Years of CinnaMoms
PHFE WIC’s programs and services are a lifeline to supportive, intentional communities, and nowhere is that more evident than in CinnaMoms, a program centering Black/African American families, and embracing parents, caregivers, and allies of all backgrounds as they navigate their breastfeeding and parenthood journeys. By addressing longstanding disparities in breastfeeding and postpartum mental health, CinnaMoms is helping build healthier outcomes through culturally responsive and affirming care.
Since its founding in 2015, CinnaMoms has grown into a thriving network with dedicated staff at nine PHFE WIC sites, providing mothers and families with support groups, breastfeeding education and consulting, mental health resources, and so much more.
That growth took a major step forward in 2023, when CinnaMoms opened its flagship site within an existing WIC site, CinnaMoms Crenshaw, with support from Heluna Health’s Community Fund. Designed to foster in-person connection, CinnaMoms Crenshaw is entirely dedicated to the program’s work, inviting mothers and families to embrace their guiding principles: ‘Rest, Nest, and Connect.’
This past year, CinnaMoms celebrated 10 years of providing vital support to the community. This milestone was commemorated with a vibrant gathering of participants, families, staff, and local leaders in the flagship space, a testament to the program’s profound impact and the strong community it continues to nurture.
Advancing Childhood Literacy: The Little by Little School Readiness Program
Through PHFE WIC, families not only receive healthy food and nutrition education that nurture their children’s health, but through the Little by Little School Readiness Program (LBL), they gain the tools to feed their minds, too. This evidence-based early literacy
program supports PHFE WIC families with children ages 0–5 by providing free, high-quality books and practical, research-backed guidance that empowers parents to be their child’s first teacher. By helping families overcome barriers to early learning — barriers that can contribute to a 30-million-word gap by age three — the program ensures children build strong vocabulary, comprehension, and language skills during the most critical period of brain development.
With 61% of low-income households lacking children’s books and more than a third of children entering kindergarten without foundational literacy skills, LBL delivers the resources, knowledge, and encouragement parents need to foster consistent early literacy habits at home. By strengthening school readiness and helping close persistent early learning gaps, the program ensures that children can enter school prepared and confident.
Leading the Way: PHFE WIC’s Research Bridges Data and Impact
At PHFE WIC, progress is powered by research. As the only WIC network in the country with an in-house research department, PHFE WIC is uniquely positioned to translate evidence into action. In partnership with First 5 LA, the program produces critical data that informs health planners, policymakers, and community leaders about the families it serves. Their research spans essential topics such as childhood obesity, food and nutrition, and breastfeeding, with findings published in leading journals including the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
“WIC serves about half the babies in this country,” shares Dr. Shannon Whaley, PHFE WIC’s Director of Research and Evaluation. “Our research continues to show that all the ways we deliver services, including cash value benefits, nutrition, and books, contributes to the fabric of WIC’s impact.”
By rigorously evaluating outcomes and identifying opportunities to enhance services, PHFE WIC’s research team helps ensure that decisions impacting WIC families are aligned with real community needs. Through this commitment to data-driven improvement, PHFE WIC continues to strengthen the field and elevate what is possible for WIC programs nationwide.
Kiran Saluja: Celebrating a Career, Continuing the Vision
For over four decades, Kiran Saluja has led PHFE WIC with vision and dedication, shaping the agency into one of the most influential WIC programs in the nation. Her leadership has been recognized with prestigious honors, including the California Department of Public Health/Women, Infants and Children Division’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Under her guidance, PHFE WIC has served hundreds of thousands of families and built the research, partnerships, and programs that make the agency a trusted voice in maternal and child health.
“There is so much joy in going to WIC sites and seeing the families and babies,” reflects Saluja. “The mission of WIC extends beyond our clients to our staff as well, and that is something we really believe in and that I have encouraged throughout my time here. When we take care of ourselves and our staff, we can better serve our families.”
As Saluja prepares to step into her next chapter, we celebrate her extraordinary legacy and embrace the new opportunities ahead. With a strong foundation in place, we look forward to continuing to grow and adapt to meet the changing needs of families across Southern California.
Transforming Health Outcomes Through Connected Care Data
Supporting LANES in Advancing Patient-Centered Healthcare
Across clinics and hospitals, patients are often asked to recall long lists of past tests, medications, and procedures — details that are easy to forget or misremember. Without complete information, providers are left piecing together medical histories with only partial insight, which can lead to repeated tests, longer wait times, and higher costs for patients and the healthcare system alike.
Enter LANES, a qualified health information organization (QHIO) designed to improve healthcare across California. Whether an individual visits just one office, or has been seen at various clinics and specialists, LANES collects a patient’s data in one secure platform, giving doctors, nurses, and other practitioners the full picture with the click of a button. For patients, it means less waiting, fewer procedures, and a more comfortable experience. For providers, it means working more efficiently, saving resources, and focusing on what really matters – keeping patients healthy.
Connecting the Dots: Supporting Doctors and Patients
LANES connects health information for over 13 million patients across 300+ participating organizations in California, bridging the gap between primary care physicians, hospitals, clinics, community health centers, and behavioral health providers. With complete patient history information at their fingertips, these providers can make faster, more informed decisions, improve patient safety, and better coordinate care.
“Healthcare is complicated,” says Ali Modaressi, CEO of LANES. “Providers are on different systems that are designed differently, so we fill that gap. Within just two years we connected most of the federally qualified health information centers, as well as community clinics, so they could see their information on our platform.”
The impact of LANES extends much further than a database. In emergencies like the California wildfires just last year, the true power of this interconnected system shined through. Families were forced to evacuate, and public health nurses at evacuation centers needed quick access to critical patient information. Using LANES, physicians and nurses could instantly check medical conditions, refill prescriptions, and contact primary care providers and next of kin. Public health officials also used real-time data on emergency
visits, hospitalizations, and outpatient care to track wildfire-related health impacts, like asthma and heart problems.
From Data to Impact: Making a Real Difference for Patients
LANES isn’t just enabling providers to share data. For clinics like Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC ), a behavioral healthcare organization that provides high quality, cost-effective substance abuse and mental health treatment to adults and youth, LANES is helping save lives. “We are a safety net clinic,” shares Christian Espinoza, Director of Clinic Operations at Tarzana Treatment Centers. “We are often the last line of defense between life and death.”
Before LANES, doctors at TTC often had to go to hospitals to track down paper records or rely on patients to remember their medical history, which were often incomplete or incorrect. This meant lots of repeated tests and wasted time and resources. During the pandemic, delays in getting patient information only got longer, taking weeks at a time, slowing down care when every moment mattered.
Now, with the help of LANES, TTC can manage patients more effectively and efficiently, making sure that they get the care they need quickly. “We are actually able to decrease the amount of emergency room visits that patients have,” says Espinoza. In addition, TTC’s community health workers use the system to connect patients with social services, follow-ups, and behavioral health care — addressing both immediate and long-term needs.
Heluna Health: Partnering for Success
Since its inception in 2011, Heluna Health has been a key collaborator and trusted partner for LANES, providing critical financial and operational support that allows the organization to focus on what matters most – helping healthcare professionals provide faster, safer, and more streamlined care to their patients. With steady support including accounting, human resources, and other operational services, Heluna Health has helped LANES expand its reach across the region and into Orange County, strengthen its operations, and continue to meet the evolving needs of California’s healthcare system.
“There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work that needs to happen in driving any organization,” shares Cynthia Cooper, Clinical Implementation Manager at LANES. “Heluna Health allows us to focus on what we do best, which is data and clinical services. We always know that they’ve got our back.”
Shaping the Future: Transforming Healthcare Through Collaboration
Looking ahead, LANES is focused on empowering even more clinicians and health organizations to access timely, actionable patient data, creating a more connected, efficient, and equitable healthcare system. Heluna Health is proud to continue supporting LANES as a partner, helping the organization grow, improve, and strengthen its impact across California and beyond.
Strengthening Communities Through Literacy and Nutrition
Launching Poquita’s Garden, Heluna Health’s First Children’s Book
Heluna Health planted a seed with the launch of Poquita’s Garden in 2025, its first-ever children’s book, illustrated and co-authored by award-winning artist Lalo Alcaraz. The story follows Amaya, a young girl who moves from the Central Valley to the city with her family, as she transforms a struggling urban lot into a thriving community garden. Just as Amaya’s garden flourishes in the story, the release of Poquita’s Garden blossomed into community events across Los Angeles, teaching young readers and families about nutrition, food access, and the power of community.
Engaging Young Readers: Improving Public Health Through Storytelling
Poquita’s Garden addresses the very real challenges faced by families living in food deserts — areas where access to fresh, nutritious food is limited — while also strengthening opportunities to improveearly literacy. An estimated 1 in 4 households in Los Angeles County face food insecurity, and low-income households continue to be disproportionately affected, with more than 40% experiencing this challenge. At the same time, young children in financially stressed households experience fewer opportunities that support early literacy development, with 50% entering first grade up to two years behind their peers.
In this moment, when many families are struggling to meet their basic nutritional needs, it is a public health priority to bring awareness to food access issues in approachable ways. By presenting these themes through a colorful, engaging story, Heluna Health aims to introduce foundational concepts about healthy eating early and make learning enjoyable and accessible. Through Poquita’s Garden, Heluna Health has been able to expand our work advancing health equity in a new and meaningful way. The book continues to serve as an inviting tool for sparking conversations about nutrition, encouraging curiosity about where food comes from, and strengthening early literacy skills.
Spreading the Seeds: Partnering to Bring Poquita’s Garden to Families across Los Angeles
Thanks to a generous grant from Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Heluna Health printed and distributed 10,000 copies of Poquita’s Garden to children and families across Los Angeles County and beyond. Of these, 8,000 books went directly to families served by Heluna Health’s Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (or ‘PHFE WIC’). By leveraging the trusted PHFE WIC network — one of the largest and most effective touchpoints for families with young children — and its Little by Little School Readiness initiative, Heluna Health has been able to reach parents where they already turn for support.
“We can grow our own vegetables, we can grow our own fruit, and I wanted to explain that to my daughter,” shares Pauline, a WIC participant. “That’s why we started our own garden and the book really helped reinforce that message for her. I think she sees herself in the little girl. I want her to get all the resources and all the education she can, so being able to receive books like Poquita’s Garden through WIC is a blessing.”
From The Page to The Community: Launch Events and Engagement
Since its launch, Poquita’s Garden has grown far beyond the pages of the book. Over the past year, Heluna Health hosted five launch events through new and existing partnerships. The celebrations kicked off in Pomona at our Indian Hill WIC site where families were treated to a special reading of the book with Lalo Alcaraz himself. Guests also enjoyed a salad-making workshop with Growing Hope Gardens, an organization focused on urban farming, where they combined fresh ingredients, locally grown and harvested by the organization that morning into a delicious meal.
Another highlight of the launch was Heluna Health partner, the Eastern Los Angeles Family Resource Center’s annual Move & Groove event, a vibrant gathering bringing together individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, their families, and their broader community for a day focused on health and wellness. Heluna Health was onsite sharing copies of Poquita’s Garden, while Lalo Alcaraz led a lively story time and signed books for attendees. Families also enjoyed Tai Chi and workout demonstrations, hula hooping, great music, and access to community wellness resources, creating a joyful and inclusive setting to introduce the book.
Additional launch events included a special reading and workshop for second graders at Para Los Niños Charter Elementary School in Downtown Los Angeles, the Estrada Courts Health Fair in Boyle Heights, and an Earth Day planting activity at Linc’s Fairview Heights supportive housing community in Inglewood. Across each event, Poquita’s Garden served
as a catalyst, encouraging hands-on learning, community connection, and healthy habits for children and families.
Looking Ahead: Continuing the Journey
Building on the success of Poquita’s Garden, Heluna Health is starting work on our next children’s book, and we look forward to continuing to share meaningful stories that combine education, advocacy, and creativity, and finding innovative ways to engage youth, families, and communities around public health and social impact.
Through Poquita’s Garden, Heluna Health is advancing its mission to enhance public health by sharing stories that promote healthy habits, cultural connection, and lifelong well-being for children and families across California. By planting seeds through this book, Heluna and our network of community partners are helping to grow stronger, healthier communities — one story at a time.
Fueling Healthy Futures for Southern California Families
Nurturing Community Health through PHFE WIC
Step into PHFE WIC’s Annual Family Resource Fair and you’ll be met with smiling staff, vibrant community resource tables, and giveaways of essentials from diapers to books. This is just one example of how Heluna Health’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or ‘PHFE WIC’ program supports families all year long.
As Heluna Health’s largest program and the nation’s largest WIC network, PHFE WIC serves more than 190,000 women, children, and families each month providing resources including healthy food, books, parenting groups, and regular visits with Registered Dieticians and Lactation Consultants at no cost. Last year, WIC participants redeemed more than $180 million in food benefits and had more than 800,000 touchpoints with PHFE WIC nutrition counselors. This combination of resource access and education is what makes WIC one of the most successful public health programs in the world, continuing to adapt and thrive amid the changing public health landscape.
At the helm of PHFE WIC’s remarkable growth, Executive Director Kiran Saluja has been a tireless champion for the program. Now, as she prepares to step down after more than 40 years of service to WIC, we honor her legacy and spirit of innovation that will continue to drive PHFE WIC forward.
Meeting Evolving Needs: Enhancing Support for Families
Under Saluja’s leadership, PHFE WIC has expanded to respond to specific gaps identified in the communities it serves. During the pandemic when families could not attend in person, the program quickly shifted to virtual technology, maintaining care while keeping staff and participants safe. These innovations remain core to the program today, helping it reach more families, expand access, and sustain high-quality, personalized support.
PHFE WIC has played a critical role in helping close the gap in breastfeeding rates between low- and higher-income women. In the past year, the program hosted more than 300 breastfeeding groups and support circles, ensuring families have access to expert guidance and peer support.
Additionally, understanding the importance of culturally centered support and the need for more early childhood literacy resources, PHFE WIC launched CinnaMoms and the Little by Little School Readiness Program. With its pioneering in-house research department, PHFE WIC continuously uses real-time data to refine programs and ensure families receive the most effective, responsive care possible.
“Our WIC program is more than a nutrition service, it is a cornerstone of public health in California,” says Peter Dale, Heluna Health’s Interim CEO and President. “PHFE WIC delivers direct services to hundreds of thousands of women, children, and families each month, while ensuring care is accessible, culturally relevant, and informed by data. We are proud to provide the leadership and infrastructure that enable this vital program.”
Cultivating Community: Celebrating 10 Years of CinnaMoms
PHFE WIC’s programs and services are a lifeline to supportive, intentional communities, and nowhere is that more evident than in CinnaMoms, a program centering Black/African American families, and embracing parents, caregivers, and allies of all backgrounds as they navigate their breastfeeding and parenthood journeys. By addressing longstanding disparities in breastfeeding and postpartum mental health, CinnaMoms is helping build healthier outcomes through culturally responsive and affirming care.
Since its founding in 2015, CinnaMoms has grown into a thriving network with dedicated staff at nine PHFE WIC sites, providing mothers and families with support groups, breastfeeding education and consulting, mental health resources, and so much more.
That growth took a major step forward in 2023, when CinnaMoms opened its flagship site within an existing WIC site, CinnaMoms Crenshaw, with support from Heluna Health’s Community Fund. Designed to foster in-person connection, CinnaMoms Crenshaw is entirely dedicated to the program’s work, inviting mothers and families to embrace their guiding principles: ‘Rest, Nest, and Connect.’
This past year, CinnaMoms celebrated 10 years of providing vital support to the community. This milestone was commemorated with a vibrant gathering of participants, families, staff, and local leaders in the flagship space, a testament to the program’s profound impact and the strong community it continues to nurture.
Advancing Childhood Literacy: The Little by Little School Readiness Program
Through PHFE WIC, families not only receive healthy food and nutrition education that nurture their children’s health, but through the Little by Little School Readiness Program (LBL), they gain the tools to feed their minds, too. This evidence-based early literacy
program supports PHFE WIC families with children ages 0–5 by providing free, high-quality books and practical, research-backed guidance that empowers parents to be their child’s first teacher. By helping families overcome barriers to early learning — barriers that can contribute to a 30-million-word gap by age three — the program ensures children build strong vocabulary, comprehension, and language skills during the most critical period of brain development.
With 61% of low-income households lacking children’s books and more than a third of children entering kindergarten without foundational literacy skills, LBL delivers the resources, knowledge, and encouragement parents need to foster consistent early literacy habits at home. By strengthening school readiness and helping close persistent early learning gaps, the program ensures that children can enter school prepared and confident.
Leading the Way: PHFE WIC’s Research Bridges Data and Impact
At PHFE WIC, progress is powered by research. As the only WIC network in the country with an in-house research department, PHFE WIC is uniquely positioned to translate evidence into action. In partnership with First 5 LA, the program produces critical data that informs health planners, policymakers, and community leaders about the families it serves. Their research spans essential topics such as childhood obesity, food and nutrition, and breastfeeding, with findings published in leading journals including the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
“WIC serves about half the babies in this country,” shares Dr. Shannon Whaley, PHFE WIC’s Director of Research and Evaluation. “Our research continues to show that all the ways we deliver services, including cash value benefits, nutrition, and books, contributes to the fabric of WIC’s impact.”
By rigorously evaluating outcomes and identifying opportunities to enhance services, PHFE WIC’s research team helps ensure that decisions impacting WIC families are aligned with real community needs. Through this commitment to data-driven improvement, PHFE WIC continues to strengthen the field and elevate what is possible for WIC programs nationwide.
Kiran Saluja: Celebrating a Career, Continuing the Vision
For over four decades, Kiran Saluja has led PHFE WIC with vision and dedication, shaping the agency into one of the most influential WIC programs in the nation. Her leadership has been recognized with prestigious honors, including the California Department of Public Health/Women, Infants and Children Division’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Under her guidance, PHFE WIC has served hundreds of thousands of families and built the research,
partnerships, and programs that make the agency a trusted voice in maternal and child health.
“There is so much joy in going to WIC sites and seeing the families and babies,” reflects Saluja. “The mission of WIC extends beyond our clients to our staff as well, and that is something we really believe in and that I have encouraged throughout my time here. When we take care of ourselves and our staff, we can better serve our families.”
As Saluja prepares to step into her next chapter, we celebrate her extraordinary legacy and embrace the new opportunities ahead. With a strong foundation in place, we look forward to continuing to grow and adapt to meet the changing needs of families across Southern California.
Transforming Health Outcomes Through Connected Care Data
Supporting LANES in Advancing Patient-Centered Healthcare
Across clinics and hospitals, patients are often asked to recall long lists of past tests, medications, and procedures — details that are easy to forget or misremember. Without complete information, providers are left piecing together medical histories with only partial insight, which can lead to repeated tests, longer wait times, and higher costs for patients and the healthcare system alike.
Enter LANES, a qualified health information organization (QHIO) designed to improve healthcare across California. Whether an individual visits just one office, or has been seen at various clinics and specialists, LANES collects a patient’s data in one secure platform, giving doctors, nurses, and other practitioners the full picture with the click of a button. For patients, it means less waiting, fewer procedures, and a more comfortable experience. For providers, it means working more efficiently, saving resources, and focusing on what really matters – keeping patients healthy.
Connecting the Dots: Supporting Doctors and Patients
LANES connects health information for over 13 million patients across 300+ participating organizations in California, bridging the gap between primary care physicians, hospitals, clinics, community health centers, and behavioral health providers. With complete patient history information at their fingertips, these providers can make faster, more informed decisions, improve patient safety, and better coordinate care.
“Healthcare is complicated,” says Ali Modaressi, CEO of LANES. “Providers are on different systems that are designed differently, so we fill that gap. Within just two years we connected most of the federally qualified health information centers, as well as community clinics, so they could see their information on our platform.”
The impact of LANES extends much further than a database. In emergencies like the California wildfires just last year, the true power of this interconnected system shined through. Families were forced to evacuate, and public health nurses at evacuation centers needed quick access to critical patient information. Using LANES, physicians and nurses could instantly check medical conditions, refill prescriptions, and contact primary care providers and next of kin. Public health officials also used real-time data on emergency
visits, hospitalizations, and outpatient care to track wildfire-related health impacts, like asthma and heart problems.
From Data to Impact: Making a Real Difference for Patients
LANES isn’t just enabling providers to share data. For clinics like Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC ), a behavioral healthcare organization that provides high quality, cost-effective substance abuse and mental health treatment to adults and youth, LANES is helping save lives. “We are a safety net clinic,” shares Christian Espinoza, Director of Clinic Operations at Tarzana Treatment Centers. “We are often the last line of defense between life and death.”
Before LANES, doctors at TTC often had to go to hospitals to track down paper records or rely on patients to remember their medical history, which were often incomplete or incorrect. This meant lots of repeated tests and wasted time and resources. During the pandemic, delays in getting patient information only got longer, taking weeks at a time, slowing down care when every moment mattered.
Now, with the help of LANES, TTC can manage patients more effectively and efficiently, making sure that they get the care they need quickly. “We are actually able to decrease the amount of emergency room visits that patients have,” says Espinoza. In addition, TTC’s community health workers use the system to connect patients with social services, follow-ups, and behavioral health care — addressing both immediate and long-term needs.
Heluna Health: Partnering for Success
Since its inception in 2011, Heluna Health has been a key collaborator and trusted partner for LANES, providing critical financial and operational support that allows the organization to focus on what matters most – helping healthcare professionals provide faster, safer, and more streamlined care to their patients. With steady support including accounting, human resources, and other operational services, Heluna Health has helped LANES expand its reach across the region and into Orange County, strengthen its operations, and continue to meet the evolving needs of California’s healthcare system.
“There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work that needs to happen in driving any organization,” shares Cynthia Cooper, Clinical Implementation Manager at LANES. “Heluna Health allows us to focus on what we do best, which is data and clinical services. We always know that they’ve got our back.”
Shaping the Future: Transforming Healthcare Through Collaboration
Looking ahead, LANES is focused on empowering even more clinicians and health organizations to access timely, actionable patient data, creating a more connected, efficient, and equitable healthcare system. Heluna Health is proud to continue supporting LANES as a partner, helping the organization grow, improve, and strengthen its impact across California and beyond.
Fighting for Food Equity and Early Literacy
Launching Poquita’s Garden, Heluna Health’s First Children’s Book
Heluna Health planted a seed with the launch of Poquita’s Garden in 2025, its first-ever children’s book, illustrated and co-authored by award-winning artist Lalo Alcaraz. The story follows Amaya, a young girl who moves from the Central Valley to the city with her family, as she transforms a struggling urban lot into a thriving community garden. Just as Amaya’s garden flourishes in the story, the release of Poquita’s Garden blossomed into community events across Los Angeles, teaching young readers and families about nutrition, food access, and the power of community.
Engaging Young Readers: Improving Public Health Through Storytelling
Poquita’s Garden addresses the very real challenges faced by families living in food deserts — areas where access to fresh, nutritious food is limited — while also strengthening opportunities to improveearly literacy. An estimated 1 in 4 households in Los Angeles County face food insecurity, and low-income households continue to be disproportionately affected, with more than 40% experiencing this challenge. At the same time, young children in financially stressed households experience fewer opportunities that support early literacy development, with 50% entering first grade up to two years behind their peers.
In this moment, when many families are struggling to meet their basic nutritional needs, it is a public health priority to bring awareness to food access issues in approachable ways. By presenting these themes through a colorful, engaging story, Heluna Health aims to introduce foundational concepts about healthy eating early and make learning enjoyable and accessible. Through Poquita’s Garden, Heluna Health has been able to expand our work advancing health equity in a new and meaningful way. The book continues to serve as an inviting tool for sparking conversations about nutrition, encouraging curiosity about where food comes from, and strengthening early literacy skills.
Spreading the Seeds: Partnering to Bring Poquita’s Garden to Families across Los Angeles
Thanks to a generous grant from Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Heluna Health printed and distributed 10,000 copies of Poquita’s Garden to children and families across Los Angeles County and beyond. Of these, 8,000 books went directly to families served by Heluna Health’s Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (or ‘PHFE WIC’). By leveraging the trusted PHFE WIC network — one of the largest and most effective touchpoints for families with young children — and its Little by Little School Readiness initiative, Heluna Health has been able to reach parents where they already turn for support.
“We can grow our own vegetables, we can grow our own fruit, and I wanted to explain that to my daughter,” shares Pauline, a WIC participant. “That’s why we started our own garden and the book really helped reinforce that message for her. I think she sees herself in the little girl. I want her to get all the resources and all the education she can, so being able to receive books like Poquita’s Garden through WIC is a blessing.”
From The Page to The Community: Launch Events and Engagement
Since its launch, Poquita’s Garden has grown far beyond the pages of the book. Over the past year, Heluna Health hosted five launch events through new and existing partnerships. The celebrations kicked off in Pomona at our Indian Hill WIC site where families were treated to a special reading of the book with Lalo Alcaraz himself. Guests also enjoyed a salad-making workshop with Growing Hope Gardens, an organization focused on urban farming, where they combined fresh ingredients, locally grown and harvested by the organization that morning into a delicious meal.
Another highlight of the launch was Heluna Health partner, the Eastern Los Angeles Family Resource Center’s annual Move & Groove event, a vibrant gathering bringing together individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, their families, and their broader community for a day focused on health and wellness. Heluna Health was onsite sharing copies of Poquita’s Garden, while Lalo Alcaraz led a lively story time and signed books for attendees. Families also enjoyed Tai Chi and workout demonstrations, hula hooping, great music, and access to community wellness resources, creating a joyful and inclusive setting to introduce the book.
Additional launch events included a special reading and workshop for second graders at Para Los Niños Charter Elementary School in Downtown Los Angeles, the Estrada Courts Health Fair in Boyle Heights, and an Earth Day planting activity at Linc’s Fairview Heights supportive housing community in Inglewood. Across each event, Poquita’s Garden served
as a catalyst, encouraging hands-on learning, community connection, and healthy habits for children and families.
Looking Ahead: Continuing the Journey
Building on the success of Poquita’s Garden, Heluna Health is starting work on our next children’s book, and we look forward to continuing to share meaningful stories that combine education, advocacy, and creativity, and finding innovative ways to engage youth, families, and communities around public health and social impact.
Through Poquita’s Garden, Heluna Health is advancing its mission to enhance public health by sharing stories that promote healthy habits, cultural connection, and lifelong well-being for children and families across California. By planting seeds through this book, Heluna and our network of community partners are helping to grow stronger, healthier communities — one story at a time.
Make a gift to the Heluna Health Community Fund
Contributions to the Heluna Health Community Fund provide us the flexibility to meet the highest priority needs of those we serve, by expanding the innovative, community-led interventions aimed at eliminating health disparities among vulnerable populations.
Your gift supports activities that include providing essential breastfeeding and nutrition supports, early literacy interventions, help for the unhoused, and training programs for the next generation of health workers.
Heluna Health’s Research and Evaluation Team
Our Research and Evaluation team uses data to drive meaningful improvements in population health. We conduct original research and thorough program evaluations that reveal trends, strengthen the evidence base, and show the impact of public health investments. Through innovative studies, practical data tools, and scientific leadership, we help turn population health science into action for healthier, more resilient communities.
Heluna Health provided fiscal sponsorship and program evaluation services to support the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Division of HIV and STD Programs and its Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative. We conducted a large-scale mixed-methods evaluation of a suite of interventions designed to improve engagement in care for vulnerable populations living with HIV. Evaluation findings were shared through implementation dashboards, reports, and conference presentations. By applying rigorous methods to this innovative pilot, we demonstrated how health departments and community partners can work together to design and deliver impactful behavioral health interventions that improve HIV outcomes.
566
people living with HIV enrolled in one or more of the 12 intervention programs across 9 community sites.
Heluna Health provided fiscal sponsorship and program evaluation services to support the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Division of HIV and STD Programs and its Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative. We conducted a large-scale mixed-methods evaluation of a suite of interventions designed to improve engagement in care for vulnerable populations living with HIV. Evaluation findings were shared through implementation dashboards, reports, and conference presentations. By applying rigorous methods to this innovative pilot, we demonstrated how health departments and community partners can work together to design and deliver impactful behavioral health interventions that improve HIV outcomes.
566
Heluna Health conducted a study of extreme heat preparedness among 1,740 adults and published a data brief detailing preparedness across the western United States. The findings help fill critical gaps in our understanding of how to best guide individuals and communities as the risks of extreme heat continue to grow. This work strengthens the evidence needed to support effective public health guidance and climate resilience strategies in the years ahead.
62%
rated the degree of overall impact on their lives as a score of 6 or higher on a 10-point scale (“increased impact”).
Insights into disparities associated with the impacts of extreme heat and preparedness among Western state residents are an important first step to identifying and addressing gaps in readiness for climate-related incidents that are relatively frequent.
Heluna Health conducted a study of extreme heat preparedness among 1,740 adults and published a data brief detailing preparedness across the western United States. The findings help fill critical gaps in our understanding of how to best guide individuals and communities as the risks of extreme heat continue to grow. This work strengthens the evidence needed to support effective public health guidance and climate resilience strategies in the years ahead.
62%
rated the degree of overall impact on their lives as a score of 6 or higher on a 10-point scale (“increased impact”).
Insights into disparities associated with the impacts of extreme heat and preparedness among Western state residents are an important first step to identifying and addressing gaps in readiness for climate-related incidents that are relatively frequent.
Heluna Health conducted original research examining how personal experiences with wildfire smoke shape public support for prescribed burns, a land management strategy that helps reduce the risk of large and destructive wildfires. To support community preparedness, we developed a resource page and social media toolkit to raise awareness about how to plan for wildfires and smoke events. We also provided material support for AltaMed Health Services’ fire relief efforts for families affected by the Eaton Fire. Together, these efforts advance community resilience and informed wildfire response across Southern California.
2,000+
reads for our published manuscript on how experiences with wildfire smoke impact public support for prescribed burns
This research highlights the importance of community outreach in building public support for prescribed burns. Efforts to communicate the safety and timing of prescribed burns, alongside their long-term benefits, could help improve public trust
Heluna Health conducted original research examining how personal experiences with wildfire smoke shape public support for prescribed burns, a land management strategy that helps reduce the risk of large and destructive wildfires. To support community preparedness, we developed a resource page and social media toolkit to raise awareness about how to plan for wildfires and smoke events. We also provided material support for AltaMed Health Services’ fire relief efforts for families affected by the Eaton Fire. Together, these efforts advance community resilience and informed wildfire response across Southern California.
2,000+
reads for our published manuscript on how experiences with wildfire smoke impact public support for prescribed burns
This research highlights the importance of community outreach in building public support for prescribed burns. Efforts to communicate the safety and timing of prescribed burns, alongside their long-term benefits, could help improve public trust
Heluna Health conducted original research examining how maternal vitamin D status in early pregnancy relates to key pregnancy outcomes, including fetal growth, preterm birth, and the likelihood of babies being born small for gestational age. Conducted in partnership with clinical providers, this study drew on data from a large multi-site cohort of pregnant women. Our findings contribute to a stronger evidence base for maternal nutrition and support strategies that promote healthier pregnancies and birth outcomes.
To maximize impact, we published our findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a journal widely read by public health practitioners, clinical dietitians, and
physicians. We also engaged the broader community by sharing our results through an in-depth interview on the Fourth Trimester Podcast.
Our findings indicate that healthy vitamin D levels in the first trimester are essential for supporting fetal growth and positive pregnancy outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of women discussing vitamin D status with their healthcare provider as part of early prenatal care.
Heluna Health conducted original research examining how maternal vitamin D status in early pregnancy relates to key pregnancy outcomes, including fetal growth, preterm birth, and the likelihood of babies being born small for gestational age. Conducted in partnership with clinical providers, this study drew on data from a large multi-site cohort of pregnant women. Our findings contribute to a stronger evidence base for maternal nutrition and support strategies that promote healthier pregnancies and birth outcomes.
To maximize impact, we published our findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a journal widely read by public health practitioners, clinical dietitians, and
physicians. We also engaged the broader community by sharing our results through an in-depth interview on the Fourth Trimester Podcast.
Our findings indicate that healthy vitamin D levels in the first trimester are essential for supporting fetal growth and positive pregnancy outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of women discussing vitamin D status with their healthcare provider as part of early prenatal care.
Heluna Health developed a social media campaign for Global Heat Action Day to highlight the health impacts of extreme heat. We created a resource page, toolkit, and infographics in both English and Spanish to support community awareness and action. Our research continues to advance understanding of how personal experiences and risk perceptions shape extreme heat mitigation behaviors, with findings presented at the ISEE-ISEA 2025 conference and published in PLOS ONE
900+
people reached through our social media campaign for Global Heat Action Day in the early summer.
There were 450+ views of the PLOS ONE manuscript within the first two months of publication.
Heluna Health developed a social media campaign for Global Heat Action Day to highlight the health impacts of extreme heat. We created a resource page, toolkit, and infographics in both English and Spanish to support community awareness and action. Our research continues to advance understanding of how personal experiences and risk perceptions shape extreme heat mitigation behaviors, with findings presented at the ISEE-ISEA 2025 conference and published in PLOS ONE
900+
people reached through our social media campaign for Global Heat Action Day in the early summer.
Carladenise Edwards, PhD
Chair
Chief Administrative Officer, Miami-Dade County
Nicole J. Macarchuk, JD
Vice Chair
Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Head of Asset Management Legal, Fidelity
Alessandro Lazzarini
Treasurer
Investment Analyst, Capital Group
Vivian Vasallo
Secretary
Health and Philanthropic Executive
Directors
Nwando Anyaoku, MD, MPH, MBA
GVP, Chief Health Equity and Clinical Innovation Officer, Providence
Jennifer Covich Bordenick, MHRD
Chief Strategy Officer, Center for Unbiased Science & Health
Terhilda Garrido, MPH
Healthcare Executive
Celina Gorre, MPH, MA
CEO, WomenHeart
Hope Tarirai Mago, MBA
Partner, HCAP Partners
Bonnie Midura, MPH
Senior Program Manager, The California Endowment
Santosh Vetticaden, MD, PhD, MBA
Biotech Entrepreneur/ Co-founder, Visgenx Inc.
Lisa Ba, CPA, MBA
Chief Financial Officer, Central California Alliance for Health
Gary Trujillo, MBA
Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, Southwest Harvard Group, LLC
Claire Verity
Sr. Health Care Advisor
Peter Dale, CPCM, MA
Interim President & Chief Executive Officer and Chief Program Officer
Jordan Gadd, MA
Chief of Staff
Jo Kay Ghosh, PhD
Director of Research and Evaluation
Louis Gutierrez
Chief Human Resources Officer
Kiran Saluja, MPH, RDN
Executive Director, PHFE WIC Program
Kevin Tran
Interim CFO
Jaana Xie, MPA
Internal Audit Manager
Elisa Gonzalez, Accounting Manager at Heluna Health, was honored with the Board of Directors Certificate of Outstanding Individual Achievement. Elisa has been with Heluna Health for more than 30 years, growing with the organization in various roles. She is recognized by her colleagues for her dedication, loyalty, and contributions to the organization, always being willing to surface issues while providing ideas and thoughts on how to continue to improve existing processes.
Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES) was honored with the Board of Directors Certificate of Outstanding Team Achievement. A community driven Qualified Health Information Organization (QHIO), LANES works to enhance healthcare delivery and patient outcomes by providing secure platforms to bridge gaps in the healthcare ecosystem, creating a more equitable healthcare system for low-income populations.
Elisa Gonzalez, Accounting Manager at Heluna Health
Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES)
Our Partners and Direct Service Programs
At Heluna Health, we serve a wide range of partners working in local communities and lead our own programs that provide proven population health interventions. In the following list, we recognize the partners whom we worked with during the period July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025. You can also support individual Heluna Health programs by making a donation and selecting a program at helunahealth.org/donate
PARTNERS
- Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
- Athletes for Life
- California Prevention Training Center
- California, State of
- California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
- CDPH California Emerging Infections Program (CEIP)
- CDPH California Tobacco Control Program (CTCP)
- CDPH Center for Infectious Diseases (CID)
- CDPH Center for Laboratory Sciences (CLS)
- CDPH Division of Communicable Disease Control (DCDC)
- CDPH Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program
- CDPH Microbial Diseases Laboratory (MDL)
- CDPH Vector-Borne Disease Section (VBDS)
- CDPH Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory (VRDL)
- California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN)
- Carolyn Kordich Family Resource Center
- City and County of San Francisco (CCSF)
- San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH)
- SFDPH Applied Research, Community Health Epidemiology, and Surveillance (ARCHES)
- SFDPH Behavioral Health Services
- SFDPH Bridge HIV
- SFDPH Center for Data Science
- SFDPH Center for Learning and Innovation (CLI)
- SFDPH Center for Public Health Research (CPHR)
- SFDPH Community Health Equity and Promotion (CHEP)
- SFDPH Disease Prevention and Control (DPC)
- SFDPH Public Health Laboratory
- San Francisco Health Network (SFHN)
- SFHN Ambulatory Care
- SFHN Jail Health Services
- SFHN Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health
- San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment and Financial Justice Project
- Community Health Action Network (CHAN)
- Community Translational Research Institute (CTRI)
- County of Alameda
- County of Contra Costa
- Contra Costa Health, Housing, and Homeless Services (H3)
- Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS)
- County of Orange
- Orange County Department of Education
- Eastern Los Angeles Family Resource Center (ELAFRC)
- Expecting Justice (Abundant Birth Project)
- Family Resource Centers Network of California (FRCNCA)
- First 5 Orange County
- Happy Mama Healthy Baby Alliance (HMHBA)
- Health Consortium of Greater San Gabriel Valley (HC-SGV)
- Health Officers Association of California (HOAC)
- Immunization Coalition of Los Angeles County
- Long Beach Early Childhood Education Committee (LBECE)
- Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES)
- MOMentum Park
- Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD)
- RTI International
- Saving Our Legacy Project (SOL)
- SisterWeb
- Southern California Crossroads
- Sustain Hawaii
- TRAPMedicine
DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS
- Angels Child Care Food Program
- Breastfeeding and Nutrition Services
- PHFE WIC
- CinnaMoms
- Little by Little School Readiness Program
- California Health and Human Services Agency
- California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions (CIBHS)
- City and County of San Francisco (CCSF)
- San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH)
- San Francisco Homeless Outreach Team (SFHOT)
- Community Health Project Los Angeles (CHPLA)
- County of Los Angeles (LAC)
- LAC Department of Health Services (DHS)
- LAC Department of Justice, Care and Opportunities
- LAC Department of Public Health (LADPH)
- LAC Department of Youth Development
- U.S. General Services Administration
- Youth/Adult Development Services (YDS)
Our Supporters
Thank you to the numerous individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies whose critical support enables Heluna Health and our partners to build healthy, strong communities for all. Gifts, grants, and contracts of $1,000 or more for the time period July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 are recognized in the Impact Report.
- Acme Bread Company
- Administration For Children & Families
- Alessandro (George) Lazzarini
- Alexander Baker
- AltaMed
- American Heart Association
- Angeles Community Health Center
- Anthem Blue Cross
- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
- Association of Maternal & Child Health
- Association of Public Health Laboratories
- Ballmer Group
- Blayne Cutler
- Blue Shield of California Foundation
- California Community Foundation
- California Health Care Foundation
- California HIV/AIDS Research Program
- California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions
- California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA)
- Cara Dorsey-McGee
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Centers for Disease Control
- Chinatown Service Center
- Ciara Johnson
- City and County of San Francisco
- City of Hope
- City of Long Beach
- City of Los Angeles
- Columbia University
- Community Bridges
- County of Alameda
- County of Contra Costa
- County of Los Angeles
- Crankstart
- Davida Silverman
- Dean Amy Murtha
- Dev Gopalan
- Doris-Woldemariam Family
- East Bay Community Foundation
- Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center
- Economic Security Project
- El Nido Family Centers
- El Proyecto Del Barrio Inc
- Emanate Health
- Emma Smith
- Engie America
- Eric Martin Schoenfeld
- Every Mother Counts
- Family Health International
- Fines and Fees Justice Center
- First 5 Los Angeles
- First 5 OC
- Flora Family Foundation
- Florida State University
- Food and Drug Administration
- Food and Nutrition Service
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Garfield Health Center
- George Kaiser Family Foundation
- Gilead Foundation
- Gilead Sciences, Inc.
- Health Officers Association of California
- Health Resources and Services Administration
- HealthConnect One
- Hellman Foundation
- Huntington Hospital
- Jack Cheng
- John Fisher
- Joseph & Vera Long Foundation
- Justin Amirault
- Kaiser Foundation Hospitals
- Kaiser Permanente Foundation
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California
- Kevin Curtis
- LA Care Health Plan
- LA Metro
- Liberty Hill Foundation
- Licinia Iberri
- Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC)
- Lorber Family Foundation
- Los Angeles Foundation on Aging
- Luke Greenwood
- Martin Elliott
- Matthew Goldman
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp
- Michael Nuttall
- Mollie Goodman
- Nancy Bloom
- National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO)
- National Council of Jewish Women
- National Institutes of Health
- National Park Service
- National WIC Association
- Nicole Macarchuk
- Office of Minority Health
- Oregon Health & Science University
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
- Patrick McKee
- Pinpoint Foundation
- Pomona Community Health Center
- Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
- Public Health Advocates
- Public Health Institute
- Public Works Alliance
- Rancho Santiago Community College
- Regents of the University of California-Berkeley
- Regents of the University of California-Irvine
- Regents of the University of California-San Francisco
- Riverside County Transportation Commission
- Robert Way
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
- Rosenberg Foundation
- RTI International
- Santosh Vetticaden
- Sara Van Acker
- San Francisco General Hospital Foundation
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation
- Skyline Foundation
- Sobrato Organization
- State of California
- Steven Sullivan
- Stupski Foundation
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- Tamara Joseph
- TASK
- The California Wellness Foundation
- The Capital Group
- The Earl B. and Loraine H. Miller Foundation
- The Emotional Black
- The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
- The Nonprofit Partnership
- The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
- The Regents of California
- The Rudolph J. and Daphne A. Munzer Foundation
- The San Francisco Foundation
- The Walmart Foundation
- Tides Center
- Tiffany Su
- Tufts University
- Tulsa County
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Department of Agriculture- Food and Nutrition Service
- U.S. Department of Education
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Administration For Children & Families
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Centers for Disease Control
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Food and Drug Administration
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Health Resources and Services Administration
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- National Institute on Drug Abuse
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- National Institutes of Health
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Office of Minority Health
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- U.S. Department of the Interior
- U.S. Department of the Interior- National Park Service
- U.S. Department of Treasury
- UniHealth Foundation
- University of Kansas
- University of Miami
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- USC Arcadia Hospital
- Various Government and Private Entities
- Various Private Entities
- ViiV Healthcare UK
- Virginia (Ginger) Pryor
- West Coast University Inc
- Westat
- Y&H Foundation
On Wednesday, August 13, Heluna Health welcomed a group of esteemed partners to their headquarters to present them with awards, recognizing their outstanding achievements in public health and community services. The awardees are:
In addition to their Board Award, Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES) was also honored with the Semi-Annual Award for Growth. Through remarkable achievements in technology, innovation, and impact, LANES has proven itself a leader in the healthcare ecosystem, expanding its customer network by 143% in just one year.
California Prevention Training Center (CAPTC) was honored with the Semi-Annual Award for Growth. Delivering high-quality, comprehensive technical assistance and training to clinicians and healthcare professionals, CAPTC has continued to expand and diversify its curriculum development, including creating an Introduction to Public Health course sponsored by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and developing two additional CDPH curricula focused on Ethics in Public Health and Disease Intervention.
The Health Consortium of Greater San Gabriel Valley (HC-SGV) was honored with the Quarterly Longevity Award. A partner of Heluna Health since 2014, The Health Consortium is a diverse community of healthcare organizations, providers, and agencies, working collectively to build and strengthen networks and partnerships in the San Gabriel Valley. The Consortium provides a space for participant organizations, agencies, and institutions to foster relationships and share information on relevant and emerging topics that impact health equity and quality of care.
Health Officer’s Association of California (HOAC) was honored with the Quarterly Longevity Award. The organization has been a partner of Heluna Health since 2014, advancing public health through special projects, emergency preparedness, and medical education, establishing policies to prevent disease, promote health equity, and support local health departments. Currently, 59 of the 61 local health departments in California are members of HOAC.
Dr. Coffin and the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Center on Substance Use and Health (CSUH) were honored with the Quarterly Award for Growth. CSUH works to create better health outcomes for all people who use substances through studying and supporting pharmacologic, behavioral, and system interventions. Under the direction of Dr. Phillip Coffin, M.D., M.I.A., the Center’s portfolio has expanded beyond its initial focus on reducing HIV infections related to substance use to include studies about a range of substance use-related health issues.
LA County Abundant Birth Project was honored with the Quarterly Award for Growth. Abundant Birth Project provides unconditional income supplements to pregnant individuals at the highest risk of preterm birth. Despite initial setbacks, their incredible team has continued to push forward and has served 400 pregnant parents in under eight months, providing additional referrals and resource connections through weekly community activities and events.
California Prevention Training Center (CAPTC)
The Health Consortium of Greater San Gabriel Valley (HC-SGV)
Health Officer’s Association of California (HOAC)
Dr. Coffin and the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Center on Substance Use and Health (CSUH)
LA County Abundant Birth Project
On Wednesday, August 13, Heluna Health welcomed a group of esteemed partners to their headquarters to present them with awards, recognizing their outstanding achievements in public health and community services. The awardees are:
In addition to their Board Award, Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES) was also honored with the Semi-Annual Award for Growth. Through remarkable achievements in technology, innovation, and impact, LANES has proven itself a leader in the healthcare ecosystem, expanding its customer network by 143% in just one year.
California Prevention Training Center (CAPTC)
California Prevention Training Center (CAPTC) was honored with the Semi-Annual Award for Growth. Delivering high-quality, comprehensive technical assistance and training to clinicians and healthcare professionals, CAPTC has continued to expand and diversify its curriculum development, including creating an Introduction to Public Health course sponsored by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and developing two additional CDPH curricula focused on Ethics in Public Health and Disease Intervention.
The Health Consortium of Greater San Gabriel Valley (HC-SGV)
The Health Consortium of Greater San Gabriel Valley (HC-SGV) was honored with the Quarterly Longevity Award. A partner of Heluna Health since 2014, The Health Consortium is a diverse community of healthcare organizations, providers, and agencies, working collectively to build and strengthen networks and partnerships in the San Gabriel Valley. The Consortium provides a space for participant organizations, agencies, and institutions to foster relationships and share information on relevant and emerging topics that impact health equity and quality of care.
Health Officer’s Association of California (HOAC)
Health Officer’s Association of California (HOAC) was honored with the Quarterly Longevity Award. The organization has been a partner of Heluna Health since 2014, advancing public health through special projects, emergency preparedness, and medical education, establishing policies to prevent disease, promote health equity, and support local health departments. Currently, 59 of the 61 local health departments in California are members of HOAC.
Dr. Coffin and the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Center on Substance Use and Health (CSUH)
Dr. Coffin and the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Center on Substance Use and Health (CSUH) were honored with the Quarterly Award for Growth. CSUH works to create better health outcomes for all people who use substances through studying and supporting pharmacologic, behavioral, and system interventions. Under the direction of Dr. Phillip Coffin, M.D., M.I.A., the Center’s portfolio has expanded beyond its initial focus on reducing HIV infections related to substance use to include studies about a range of substance use-related health issues.
LA County Abundant Birth Project
LA County Abundant Birth Project was honored with the Quarterly Award for Growth. Abundant Birth Project provides unconditional income supplements to pregnant individuals at the highest risk of preterm birth. Despite initial setbacks, their incredible team has continued to push forward and has served 400 pregnant parents in under eight months, providing additional referrals and resource connections through weekly community activities and events.
Heluna Health’s audited financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2025, are available here.
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