A Vital Space in Jurupa Valley

Low-income immigrant families in the Inland Empire face a stacked deck: language barriers, housing and food insecurity, and a healthcare system that's hard to navigate even when you're eligible for it. 

The Vital Space — a partnership between the Community Translational Research Institute (CTRI), the Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), and the Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD) — was built to change that. Co-located inside JUSD and powered by bilingual, community-rooted CHWs who speak Spanish, Hmong, and Afghan languages, the Vital Space delivers Enhanced Care Management where students and families already gather: their schools and neighborhoods.

This case profile, prepared by Bright Research Group, looks at how a school district, a Medi-Cal plan, and a research institute are quietly rewriting what "access to care" looks like.