Scaling Network Lead Entities Grantee Profile 

Network Name: Beacon Community Connections 

Grant Goal: 

Beacon Community Connections (Beacon) will serve as the network lead entity (NLE) as it operationalizes its current non-clinical 

case management operating structure into the VIA network, Louisiana’s comprehensive community integrated health network 

(CIHN). Through this grant, Beacon will develop and direct a formal, expandable, and sustainable CIHN to improve access functions 

that align healthcare and social services to address social determinants of health needs for anyone in need, particularly older 

adults and people with disabilities. 

Grant Partners: 

• 232-HELP 

• 3 Circle Solutions 

• Acadiana Area Human Services District 

• Acadiana Regional Coalition on Homelessness and 

Housing 

• Cajun Area Agency on Aging 

• Hospice of Acadiana 

• Lafayette City Marshal’s Office 

• Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office 

• Louisiana Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs 

• Louisiana Governor’s Office on Elderly Affairs 

• Louisiana’s Office of Aging and Adult Services 

• Louisiana’s Rehabilitation Services 

• Ochsner Lafayette General 

• Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center 

• Second Harvest Food Bank 

• Statewide Independent Living Council 

• Unite Us 

• United Way of Acadiana 

Target Population: Award: 

Older adults and people with disabilities $290,223 

Grant Objectives: 

1. Operationalize the governance of the VIA CIHN 

network. 

2. Complete a research, decision, and planning 

process to determine financial payment models. 

3. Develop and update business plans for Beacon 

Community Connections and the VIA network. 

4. Create an operations manual based upon an 

established workflow process. 

5. Design and develop data integration plans and 

projects between network members. 

Grant Summary: 

Beacon is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to 

collaborate with social service organizations, criminal justice 

agencies, healthcare providers, and other organizations to 

improve community well-being, particularly for older adults 

and people with disabilities. 

As the NLE, Beacon has established an informal CIHN, 

referred to as the VIA network, over the eight parishes in the 

South Louisiana region of Acadiana. The VIA network will be 

governed through a network advisory council comprised of 

healthcare administrators, community-based organization 

leadership, and community stakeholders. Beacon provides 

many of the access functions of a broader No Wrong System 

(NWD) system or collaborates with the appropriate entities 

to complete the functions regionally as part of a statewide 

NWD system. Through this grant, the VIA network will 

deepen and expand its partner relationships to provide 

comprehensive and effective long-term services and supports 

to allow older individuals and individuals with disabilities to 

remain in their community. Anticipated outcomes include 

executed network partnership agreements and contracts, 

financial model cost-benefit analyses and reports, up-to-date 

business plans, a network operations manual, network data 

audits, and comprehensive data integration plan. 

Beacon has contractual relationships with both regional 

health systems as well as collaborative relationships with 

regional and state aging departments, healthcare 

organizations, social service agencies, and justice agencies to 

address the social determinants of health needs within the 

community. 

Planned activities for NLE enhancement will focus on: 

☒ Leadership 

☒ Finance 

☒ Business Development 

☒ Network Development and Support 

☒ Network Administration 

Grant Contact: 

Holly Howat, Beacon Community Connections, holly.howat@beaconconnections.org