Council continues decision on Legacy Health Endowment’s person-centered care program funding request

Legacy Health Endowment and city staff briefed the Turlock City Council on the person-centered care program, an initiative that delivers in-home respite, homemaker services, transportation, meal support and other assistance intended to prevent premature institutionalization of elderly and disabled residents.

Jeffrey Lewis, president and CEO of Legacy Health Endowment, told council the program has served “about 69” Turlock residents under the pilot and described the services and outcomes. He said the program originally began with philanthropy and partner funds and that the city supplemented the pilot with ARPA funds: $200,000 initially, a later $400,000 award for a year (10/01/2023–09/30/2024), and another $400,000 approved in August 2024. City staff stated that, to date, the city has contributed $1,000,000 of ARPA funding to the program.

Lewis described average service intensity and costs: an average of roughly $1,300–$1,400 per participant per month, or about $16,000 per participant per year, which he compared to the much higher monthly cost for long-term institutional care. Lewis said the program’s services — including a unique food-assistance vendor partnership and transition supports such as a hospital discharge coordination program — have helped participants remain independent in their homes.

During public comment, several residents and local practitioners praised the program’s impact and urged continued city support, while one speaker questioned the long-term suitability of ARPA (one-time) funds as a revenue source. Several councilmembers said they were supportive of the program’s outcomes but noted the city’s ARPA commitments and a prior city memorandum of understanding that prioritized certain spending areas; they requested additional information including unduplicated participant counts, the per-person cost breakdown, and how future funding would be sustained.

Council then voted to continue the funding decision to a future meeting so staff could provide the requested details. Staff and Legacy Health said they will supply the unduplicated service counts, a clearer per-person cost accounting, and confirm any external funding prospects before the council acts on additional appropriations.