Cassidy Acosta
Cassidy Acosta
Deputy Director, Medicaid Policy & Programs
Cassidy Acosta, MSW, brings their expertise in community organizing and stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, and policy development and implementation to health care programs supporting low-income seniors and people with disabilities. Cassidy’s work is currently focused on California’s expansion of Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), where they provide effective strategies for program implementation.
Since joining the firm in August 2019, Cassidy has worked closely with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) on the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative, leading efforts to integrate care for dually eligible beneficiaries. In addition to their work on D-SNP implementation, Cassidy also played a key role in California’s Coordinated Care Initiative and the Cal MediConnect demonstration and transition by leading local outreach and stakeholder engagement efforts.
Prior to joining Aurrera Health Group, Cassidy worked for Disability Rights California (DRC). During their tenure at DRC, they engaged in mental health policy and legislative analysis, developed accessible materials for beneficiaries and providers, and created and facilitated trainings in psychiatric facilities, state hospitals, and the community on various rights-based topics such as Medi-Cal, Medicare, Social Security, conservatorship, and disability discrimination. In 2018, Cassidy was awarded DRC’s Advocacy Achievement Award for their advocacy, legal research, and educational outreach to beneficiaries with mental health disabilities.
Cassidy has presented advocacy trainings at numerous conferences throughout the state of California, targeted toward both providers and beneficiaries, including the University of California Mental Health Cultural Competency Summit, the California Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies Conference, the National Alliance on Mental Illness Conference, and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health’s Multicultural Mental Health Conference.
Cassidy holds a master’s degree in social work from the California State University, San Bernardino, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social behavior with a minor in women’s studies from the University of California, Irvine. They live in sunny Southern California with their wife and enjoy traveling the west coast in search of the best coffee shops.
Focus Area
Education
MSW, California State University, San Bernardino
BS, Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine
