Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) received a $616,107 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847), effective March 10, 2026, with completion anticipated by February 28, 2031. The award funds a rigorous, longitudinal evaluation of the Whole Person Care–Los Angeles (WPC-LA) social care intervention, a California Medicaid pilot demonstration program that addresses social determinants of health (SDOH) such as low income, housing instability, and food insecurity. The research deliverables include comparative effectiveness analysis of WPC-LA outcomes relative to a propensity score-matched comparison group, focusing on diabetes quality of care, glycemic control, complications, and acute care healthcare utilization.

This evaluation employs an intersectional analytical framework to assess whether the WPC-LA intervention—which provides Medicaid beneficiaries with complex medical or social needs care coordination and community-based social services—alleviates documented disparities in diabetes outcomes across sex, racial, and ethnic groups. The research addresses a critical evidence gap regarding the long-term effectiveness and equity impact of social care interventions for diabetes, with findings intended to inform policy and program design for current and future social determinants-focused healthcare initiatives. UCLA's Office of Research Administration serves as the research performing site in Los Angeles, California.