Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan Honored With National Award for its Community Resource Centers

Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan has been recognized with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s prestigious 2025 North Star Award in the “Healthier Lives for Local Communities” category for its network of 14 Community Resource Centers (CRCs), jointly operated with L.A. Care Health Plan in Los Angeles County. The Community Resource Centers were launched in 2019 and are designed to meet members and non-member residents where they are and provide whole-person, community-based care.

A Blue Shield Promise Health Plan member shares her experience accessing services from a Community Resource Center

“To those that we serve, our Centers are far more than just buildings — they represent beacons of hope and health for the entire community,” said Kristen Cerf, president and CEO of Blue Shield Promise. “This recognition reflects our promise to advance health equity and support healthier lives for all Angelenos — not just Promise plan members.”

The Centers operate on three guiding principles:

Improve the health care and overall health of plan members and persons living near the Community Resource Centers, regardless of health plan and insurance status, by prioritizing prevention and health equity, addressing social drivers of health, and optimizing appropriate health services utilization.
Promote community resiliency by fostering social interactions and connections, strengthening partnerships, and supporting local capacity-building efforts.
Be the leader in member and community engagement, resulting in high membership retention and satisfaction, exceptional member experience, and a reputation for innovation and social impact.

Together, and guided by this shared vision, Blue Shield Promise and L.A. Care built and now operate the largest network of Community Resource Centers owned by a Medi-Cal plan within a single county. The Centers are all strategically located in the most underserved neighborhoods of the nation’s most populous county, where nearly two in five residents rely on Medi-Cal.

In 2024, the Centers welcomed nearly 60,000 people and had over 361,000 visits, a 67% increase from 2023. Services offered include health education, fitness classes, food and housing assistance, legal aid, mental health support, preventive screenings, immunizations and public program enrollment assistance. One of the best practices that has been adopted at all 14 Centers is hosting health events to close care gaps for breast cancer screenings and well-child visits.

This award underscores Blue Shield Promise’s mission to create active, healthy and informed communities, one neighborhood at a time.

Learn more about the Community Resource Centers here: Welcome to the CRC's | Community Resource Center

Watch this video to hear from community members who share how the Centers have made meaningful impacts on their lives.