The SCAN Foundation

About The SCAN Foundation

What is The SCAN Foundation?

The SCAN Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit charitable foundation dedicated to long-term services and supports that keep seniors self-sufficient, at home and in the community. As the only foundation with a mission focused exclusively on long-term care, The SCAN Foundation is taking action to develop and support programmatic and policy-oriented recommendations and solutions that address the needs of seniors and influence public policy to improve the current system.

Why was The SCAN Foundation started?

The United States faces an enormous challenge as the baby boomer generation reaches their senior years. By 2030, the number of persons aged 65 and older will nearly double — reaching 20 percent of the population. The new American senior will have attained higher levels of education, experienced lower levels of poverty, represent increased racial and ethnic diversity, have had fewer children, enjoy a longer life expectancy and be susceptible to more chronic illnesses than the generations who came before them. Currently, there is no continuum of care for seniors that helps them remain independent as they age. This situation presents serious challenges as to who will care for these seniors, what quality of health they will have and, more importantly, what quality of life they will have.

As a new foundation dedicated to long-term care reform and the creation of a continuum of care for seniors, The SCAN Foundation foresees tremendous opportunities to make a meaningful difference in the lives of seniors through changes in state and federal policy, increased public awareness, innovative programs, technological innovation and workforce development. Through partnerships with policy makers, elected officials, service providers and thought leaders in research, technology and education, we will advance the development of a continuum of quality care for seniors.

How was The SCAN Foundation started?

The SCAN Foundation was created as an independent foundation in April 2008 through a $205 million contribution from the not-for-profit SCAN Health Plan. The Foundation was created to focus on innovative solutions to the healthcare needs of California seniors and ultimately influence policy to achieve the integration of acute and long-term care financing.

In 1977, a group of seniors were frustrated by their lack of access to services and wanted an organization that addressed their specific and unique needs. These forward-thinking seniors formed the Senior Care Action Network, now known as SCAN Health Plan, a not-for-profit health plan dedicated to providing comprehensive medical coverage, prescription benefits and support services specifically designed to meet the needs of people with Medicare.

What does The SCAN Foundation fund?

The SCAN Foundation provides grant support to promising program models that integrate long-term care medical treatment and human services for seniors in the setting most appropriate for fostering independence. The Foundation is focused not just on supporting care-based programs, but also on funding programs that will impact policy in California and nationwide. We welcome the opportunity to engage with partners that share our vision and who are ready to implement promising program models for the care of seniors, primarily in California.

 

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