For Immediate Release
May 14, 2021
Contact: Monika Lee, (858) 353-7271, mlee@cpehn.org
Equity Advocates Applaud Governor Newsom’s Recognition of Community Health Workers
The California-Pan Ethnic Health Network, Children’s Partnership, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, and Vision y Compromiso released the following joint statement:
“As part of the revised State Budget proposal, Governor Newsom announced today that California will seek federal approval to include community health workers and promotores in the Medi-Cal State Plan. This is a historic recognition of the importance of this critical and diverse community workforce. With this policy change, low-income Californians will have access to the essential health services provided by community health workers and promotores and there will be a sustainable mechanism for funding and expanding the workforce in all sectors.
“Community health workers and promotores have proven to be invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic, serving on the frontlines of pandemic response and ensuring that our most marginalized children, families, and communities have access to culturally appropriate and accurate information, assisting with testing and contact tracing, and registering individuals and families for vaccination.
“We applaud the Governor for recognizing that community health workers and promotores are core to the state’s efforts to advance a healthy California for all and continue to build a community partnership. We look forward to engaging with the Department of Health Care Services in a robust stakeholder process – one which centers the perspectives and lived experience of community health workers and promotores themselves – with the Department of Health Care Services to ensure successful implementation of this announcement.”
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