Molina Healthcare of California Supports Local Schools Making Protective Gear for Healthcare Workers
McBride High School and CSULB Using 3D Printers to Make Face Shields
Media Contact: Danielle Smith, Danielle.Smith@Molinahealthcare.com, 562-619-0384
Long Beach, Calif., April 16, 2020 – To support health care workers on the frontline, Molina Healthcare of California (“Molina”) is contributing funds to two Long Beach schools that are creating protective face shields. Ernest McBride High School and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) students and faculty have taken an innovative approach using 3D printers to create protective gear for local health care workers.
“As a Long Beach-based company, we are excited to support a local high school and university that are making protective face shields for medical professionals during a time of great need.” said John Kotal, president of Molina Healthcare of California. “We are impressed by the innovative students and grateful that they are using their skills and resources to give back during this pandemic.”
The partnership with McBride High school came to fruition when Molina Healthcare’s Medical Director, Caryn Slack, MD, MPH, worked with the school to perfect the mask prototype that was developed by the ninth-grade student, Dylan Webb, who created the prototype from an online resource. McBride High School has three pathways, including Engineering, Criminal Justice and Investigations, and Health and Medical. The pathways are designed to engage students around their interests and prepare them for college and the workforce. McBride’s Engineering Pathway teacher, Carl Fraytet, worked with Webb and students from all the school’s pathways to launch the protective mask initiative in late March. To date, the school has produced 45 masks, which were recently delivered to a local nursing home for evaluation. The donation from Molina will enable McBride students to continue producing face masks and provide them to health care facilities in need.
In addition, Molina learned that CSULB’s Makers Society, a business spin-off of the campus engineering club, was organizing similar efforts. College student, Danny Curry explained that he and his peers were inspired by students making ventilators. The group has created 50 face shields that will be delivered to medical offices in California. Molina’s donation to Makers Society will empower them to create at least 200 additional face shields.
Molina’s donations to the schools are an extension of the COVID-19 relief efforts they’ve been organizing with community partners across the state. Through partnerships with local organizations, Molina has been able to provide hygiene essentials, food, financial support, and other resources to help vulnerable communities during the pandemic.
About Molina Healthcare of California
Molina Healthcare of California has been providing government-funded care for low-income individuals for over 35 years. Molina’s mission has always been to provide quality health care to people receiving government assistance. As of December 31, 2019, the company serves approximately 565,000 members through Medi-Cal, Medicare, Medicare-Medicaid (Duals) and Covered California (Marketplace). Molina’s service areas include Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Orange County and Imperial counties. For more information, visit MolinaHealthcare.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.