Exploring Life & Business with Ana Moncada of Advanced Healthcare Administration
This article was originally posted on VoyageLA on July 22, 2024.
Today we’d like to introduce you to Ana Moncada
Hi Ana, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m happy to share my story with you, partly because I would have loved to hear someone else’s story for inspiration growing up.
I am from South Central LA and loved everything about my city. This was a low-income neighborhood, but I didn’t think of it that way, because 95th Street and Normandie was just home for me. I spend my formative years there, from age 6 to 12 years old with my parents and sibilings.
Growing up, I experienced poverty, including food insecurity. We did not have somewhere to go for help, or at least we didn’t know of any social resources. When we gathered with other people in our community, we visited the churches. What we lacked in material wealth, we embraced in our faith. These different churches were a haven for low-income communities, like mine. The churches provided plenty of resources that helped elevate households experiencing hardships. In my experience, without access to these resources, families such as mine, and others in my community could have ended up homeless or housing insecure.
As I got older and my mom permitted me to volunteer at the church. Even though I am catholic I spent my time in Jehovah Witness, and Latter Day Saint Churches. I remember giving out food to people when I was 11, and how it made me feel to be helping others. Over time, from my initial volunteering experiences, I grew to learn and provide more services to those in need, which became my passion.
I started working in the healthcare arena in 2000. My first role was as an office assistant for a medical clinic administrator of a nonprofit community health center. This is where I first became aware of programs that help people access healthcare. The healthcare access programs sparked my desire to learn more about healthcare, and I worked hard to increase my education to provide better service to others.
In 2008, I returned to school to earn a degree in healthcare administration, graduating with my Healthcare Administration in 2015. Soon after, I followed my dream to launch an organization that focuses on providing assistance with health and social services to those who need it the most, using my entire savings. My organization, Advanced Healthcare Administration, was born as a 501 (c)3 nonprofit in 2015. The focus of this organization is diligence and perseverance with the mission to accelerate access to basic and fundamental social resources.
From June 2015 to March 2021, I worked with clients while writing grants to ensure that my organization would stay afloat. In June 2021, we were awarded a small grant by the Department of Healthcare Services (DHCS). AHA serves explicitly vulnerable individuals and addresses those facing hardships caused by social determinants of health (SDoH).
Now, in 2024, AHA has two locations and a partnership with L.A. Care in West Los Angeles through their Community Resources Center. We operate both in Orange County and in Los Angeles County, and it is my dream come true to help those in need.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I imagine the setup of any business is not smooth, especially for nonprofit organizations. The biggest challenge is securing funding to maintain operations, and dealing with the red tape. The costs are very high to provide quality care in person, including the physical space we rent out to meet clients. Even thought I often find myself needing to be in 10 places at once, it has all been worth it and I am grateful to serve.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our organization puts people first.
We specialize in helping low-income people get the resources they need through managed care (health plans) and community services. We listen to their needs, do an assessment to see what they qualify for, and provide information, connections and resources for them to get the care and services they need.
What sets you apart from others?
At AHA, our clients are not just a number. We actively listen to client needs and respond with compassion and useful information to resolve their problems.
What are you most proud of brand-wise?
AHA team provides compassionate services that get results. We do not turn our clients away if they have unique challenges, we embrace them and try to help.
What do you want our readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, etc.?
My brand is compassion for all humans, regardless of background. I offer care coordination to facilitate access to benefits and resources for social determinants of health that, if not addressed, can lead to homelessness. The services we provide are all FREE of charge below:
Affordable Housing
Medi-cal Application
CalFresh Application
Calworks
Clothes Donation
Court Ordered Community Service
CoveredCA
DMV Vouchers
Employment Assistance
Housing Referrals
Shelter Locator
Referrals SSI/SSDI
Metro FREE Transportation program
VITA (FREE Tax Service)
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I met my mentor, Executive Director of a Federally Qualified Health Center and his guidance was instrumental to me when I launched my nonprofit organization. While he recently retired, I am so thankful to him for teaching me the fundamentals and being available to guide me when I had questions. I would advise others that your mentor should be someone you trust, and someone who works in the same field. So, in all, I want you all to make your dreams Come True!!! Thanks for reading about my dream.
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