February 2025 Newsletter
The Importance of Trust in Children’s Health
Trust.
Trust is fundamental to children’s health. Children thrive when their families trust their health care providers and community health workers. And families need to trust that health coverage will be there for their children.
With President Trump’s pick of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. now confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services, a crisis looms. Kennedy has the potential to destroy the trust families have in evidence-based programs that are the foundation of our children’s health, like vaccines and fluoride in drinking water. Kennedy has pushed conspiracy theories and questioned science. As we write this, a measles outbreak continues in West Texas, and a new outbreak has been reported in neighboring New Mexico. This highly contagious and serious disease is spreading among unvaccinated people, especially children, and we are heartbroken to share that one unvaccinated child in Texas has died – the first reported U.S. measles death in a decade.
The power of trust is immense, creating connection, community and power. February is Black History Month, so let’s highlight the trust the Black Panther Party had with its community when it founded Peoples’ Free Medical Clinics in the 1960s and 70s. Staffed by volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists and health professionals, they gave out free vaccines and basic medical care. These community clinics fought the racism embedded in America’s health systems with earned trust. With the shift in federal administration, our work to build and restore trust in public programs may be more challenging, but it is all the more important.
This year and beyond, The Children’s Partnership will be working together with our allies, partners and supporters like you to make sure the gains that have been made in children’s health, especially for Black, Latine, Indigenous and other children of color, are protected from the worst harms. We don’t take your trust in us lightly and will continue to work hard to earn and keep it – for all California’s children and families.
The Children’s Partnership and Californians Together are relaunching our ALL IN for Safe Schools campaign, coordinating with educators, policymakers, organizations and community partners across California and nationally to ensure our schools and early learning centers are safe for children in immigrant families and LGBTQ+ youth.
📢 GET INVOLVED!
✅ Go to allinforsafeschools.org for guidance and resources created for K-12 educators and early childhood education professionals to implement safe school policies.
✅ Sign up for updates about our ALL IN for Safe Schools campaign in California, or email allinforhealth@childrenspartnership.org if you have questions.
✅ Monitor and support existing and emerging safe school policy initiatives. Read TCP’s Safe School Policy Explainer for up-to-date information and advocacy opportunities related to safe schools policies.
✅ Join the national Education for All campaign, dedicated to protecting access to K-12 public education for every child in the United States, no matter their immigration status.
✅ Report immigration enforcement actions! The National Immigration Legal Responders Alliance (NILRA) created a provisional NILRA Enforcement Actions Form to capture information on enforcement actions. This form will help map locations and permutations of raids and enforcement actions.
Support the American Dream and Promise Act of 2025
This week, Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) reintroduced the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 to provide a pathway to citizenship for DACA beneficiaries and TPS holders—many of whom are parents, students, teachers and child care providers. This critical bill ensures long-term stability for families, strengthens economic security, and supports children in immigrant communities.
The bill would:
- Grant conditional permanent residence to eligible Dreamers
- Provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS and DED holders
- Protect applicants during the process and expand access to financial aid
- Prevent states from being penalized for offering in-state tuition to undocumented students
The Children’s Partnership recognizes that uncertainty for DACA and TPS recipients threatens families’ economic security, mental health and overall well-being. We urge Congress to pass this bill and call on our partners to support this vital legislation.
A Child is a Child: Black Children’s Health Fact Sheet
We honor California’s Black children this Black History Month and every month by focusing on the health, safety and joy of the more than 700,000 Black children and youth in our state, emphasizing the importance of addressing the systemic issues they face.
In partnership with the California Black Health Network and California Black Women’s Health Project, we present a fact sheet highlighting how systemic racism shapes Black children’s lives, impacting their health, education and opportunities for success. The fact sheet identifies inequities across key areas such as housing, economic security, mental health and food access, while offering community-defined protective factors to help mitigate these challenges, many of which have been intensified by COVID-19 and the recent Los Angeles-area wildfires.
We invite you to use the information on this fact sheet in your advocacy and education efforts to support and uplift Black children. This February, let’s celebrate their joy, honor their potential, and work toward a future where they can truly thrive.
Health Coverage Flexibilities Now Available for Wildfire Victims
Medi-Cal Flexibilities
In response to the devastating Southern California wildfires and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proclaimed State of Emergency and Executive Order issued on January 7, the Department of Health Care Services has implemented key administrative flexibilities to protect Medi-Cal members in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. These efforts include:
- Simple renewal and enrollment: Simplified Medi-Cal enrollment and renewal processes to allow families to quickly secure or maintain Medi-Cal coverage. Allowed for self-attestation for residency and income if documentation is missing, and verification deadlines are extended. Local county offices are prioritizing Medi-Cal applications and any case restorations for affected Medi-Cal members, who are encouraged to contact their local clinic navigators or local county office if assistance is needed to resolve eligibility issues.
- Prioritized member transfers if moving out of Los Angeles or Ventura counties: Medi-Cal members who are displaced for an unknown amount of time may contact either their former county of residence or the new county to assist with transferring the case on a permanent or short-term basis. Members can visit the DHCS website to find their local county office.
- Behavioral health services: Ensure relocated Medi-Cal members from evacuated facilities receive continuous care, with licensing and certification flexibilities supporting affected treatment programs.
For more information, visit this DHCS online resource to help answer Medi-Cal member questions about accessing services during this emergency.
Covered California Special Enrollment Period
Covered California has opened a Special Enrollment Period for wildfire victims in Los Angeles and Ventura counties running until March 8, 2025.
Covered California and Medi-Cal use the same application. That means that once someone applies, they’ll find out which program they qualify for. Some households qualify for both.
Covered California plans offer affordable health coverage with financial help, lower out-of-pocket costs, and no deductibles for many Silver plans.
Learn more at CoveredCA.com.
Applicants can get free help on the phone at (800) 300-1506.
Resources in multiple languages are available. All children and families deserve health care without any interruptions in care.
The Children’s Partnership Holds First Staff Retreat of 2025
On January 27 and 28, the TCP team came together for our first retreat of the year. We had two days filled with connection, learning and planning for the year ahead.
We deepened our relationships, explored our 2025 advocacy and operational goals, and aligned on how we can collaborate more effectively. Through engaging sessions on the legislative process, advocacy campaign models and leadership in times of uncertainty, we gained valuable insights into driving change and showing up for our communities.
It was an energizing time to step back, look ahead and recommit to our shared mission of advancing child health equity in California.
Meet the TCP Health Care Advocacy Team
Faith Colburn, left, and Oscar Sandoval are TCP’s health care advocacy team.
We would like to introduce you to our TCP team members, so you get a better sense of the passionate people behind our child health equity work. This month we’re introducing our health care advocacy team!
Faith Colburn
Our Advocacy Director of Health Care, Faith Colburn, leads TCP’s health care advocacy efforts, advancing child health equity by improving access to quality care, coverage and delivery for children. She directs key research, policy and advocacy initiatives, and collaborates across departments to execute TCP’s health care agenda. Prior to joining TCP, Faith held senior roles in public affairs, policy advocacy and child welfare, including director of policy & advocacy at The Gathering for Justice and senior policy advocate at the Alliance of Child and Family Services. Faith holds bachelor’s degrees in women & gender studies, political science, and child & adolescent development, as well as a Master of Public Policy, Master of Public Administration, and an honors certification in data analysis and management. Faith lives in Riverside with her husband and their dog, Luna.
Oscar Sandoval
Our Manager of Community Engagement for our health care portfolio is Oscar Sandoval. Oscar leads campaigns and initiatives that strengthen the connection between policymakers and communities, while also developing resources that translate complex policies into accessible, culturally relevant language. He plays a key role in conducting research that incorporates community experiences and informs TCP’s advocacy goals, ensuring that the voices of those we serve are heard. Before joining TCP, Oscar worked as an education organizer, middle school teacher, and high school advisor in the Bay Area, where he focused on cultivating authentic relationships and challenging systems of oppression. Outside of work, Oscar enjoys spending time in nature, writing poems and stories, playing soccer, traveling, attending live music and art events, and relaxing with his two cats, Cielo and Nube.
TCP Represents Children at Families USA Conference
Maria Lemus, executive director of TCP partner Visión y Compromiso, second from left, spoke on a panel about community health workers at the 2025 Families USA Health Action Conference.
The Children’s Partnership was well represented at this year’s Families USA Health Action Conference, held in January in Washington, D.C.
Faith Colburn, health care advocacy director, Oscar Sandoval, community engagement manager, and Ebony Durham, community engagement senior associate, were proud to represent California’s children in the nation’s capital just days after the start of a hostile new presidential administration. Our team participated in solidarity with our partners across the country, creating a show of force of working together in strong coalition to protect against attacks on our health care and our children’s fundamental right to thrive – especially our BIPOC, LGBTQ and children in immigrant families.
Faith Colburn Speaks on Health Coverage at Insure the Uninsured Project Conference
Faith Colburn, second from right, speaks on a panel at the ITUP Advancing Equity conference. Photo from ITUP Facebook page.
On February 4, TCP’s Advocacy Director of Health Care, Faith Colburn, participated on a panel titled “Ensuring Health Coverage for California’s Most Vulnerable Communities” during Insure the Uninsured Project’s Advancing Equity conference.
Alongside leaders from the Dolores Huerta Foundation, Disability Rights California and Covered California, Faith discussed the challenges and opportunities within California’s health care system, highlighting Medi-Cal renewal flexibilities and the Health4All campaign. She emphasized the importance of maintaining coverage for all people despite fiscal pressures and changes at the federal level, particularly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Faith also discussed TCP’s advocacy for higher wages for community health workers, and the need to act urgently to protect and advance policies that support continuous coverage, especially for children, in the face of federal threats.
Liza Davis Gives Safe Schools Presentation to LA County
Safety has a big impact on children’s long-term health. Liza Davis, TCP’s director of community engagement and strategy support, got to connect and share about creating safe spaces for early childhood programs by giving a presentation on protecting immigrant students’ and families’ access to early childhood education to the County of Los Angeles Child Care Planning Committee.
This year’s planning committee theme is “Strengthening the ECE Community in Times of Change.” It takes strong families, welcoming communities, tireless advocates, smart leaders and supportive government to make sure our kids grow up healthy and thrive.
There were over 100 providers, community organizations, parents and staff at this year’s event. The conversation was rich with ideas, experiences, and a shared commitment to building a more inclusive and supportive future for all children.
Whole Child Equity Partnership Holds First Retreat of the Year
The Whole Child Equity Partnership (WCEP) convened from across California February 19-20 in Downtown Los Angeles for our first retreat of 2025. Together we discussed key legislative and budget priorities at both the state and federal levels, ensuring our joint advocacy efforts are aligned and responsive to emerging challenges from the federal administration.
As we looked to the work ahead in 2025, our workgroups defined their key policy priorities and initiatives that will advance the WCEP’s overarching goals, ensuring alignment with our shared vision in service of California’s youngest children and families. The WCEP is focused on protecting California’s babies ages 0-3 and immigrant families, recognizing the urgent need to safeguard their rights and well-being.
We are grateful to our partners who shared their time, ideas and energy over these two days together. Being able to engage in team-building and wellness activities grounds us in the relationships that strengthen our coalition and allow us to remain anchored in our collective mission!
AB 665 Implementation Webinar
TCP is excited to partner with the National Center for Youth Law, along with National Health Law Program, California Alliance of Child and Family Services, and California School-Based Health Alliance, in hosting an informational webinar on implementation of AB 665 on February 28 at 1 p.m. PST. We’ll explain implementation through case scenarios and questions we’ve received from providers and other stakeholders since the law took effect last year.
AB 665 was a bill created by youth and for youth to bridge a gap between Medi-Cal and privately insured youth in accessing minor consent mental health services. Prior to AB 665, there was a fundamentally unfair double standard that meant low-income youth were required to wait until they were experiencing a mental health crisis before they could receive confidential, Medi-Cal-covered care. Now minors have the ability to consent to and use their existing Medi-Cal insurance to cover outpatient mental health services without needing their parents’ authorization, just like privately insured youth.
Catalyst California’s Family Friendly Race & Politics Event
Join WCEP partner Catalyst California for Race & Politics: Solidarity in Movement, on March 2, from 2-5 p.m., at Plaza de la Raza in East Los Angeles. In the face of the new federal administration intent on sowing division, consolidating power and dismantling progress, Catalyst California is bringing together the community in an effort to heal from the devastating climate crisis and strengthen Los Angeles’s multiracial solidarity.
This family friendly event will feature inspiring discussions, engaging activities and a joyful performance as we come together in solidarity to fight back against renewed attacks on a strong California for all. Building a broad and diverse coalition that bridges race, class and place is essential to ensuring that no one faces these challenges alone.
This event will also be livestreamed for free. Register below to receive a link.
California School-Based Health Alliance Annual Conference
School-based health centers and wellness centers are key to building health and education equity for California’s children and youth. The California School-Based Health Alliance’s (CSHA) statewide School Health Conference in Anaheim April 28-29 is an opportunity for health practitioners, educators and advocates to connect and learn how to best support students with increased access to health care at school.
Register before March 2 to receive the $100 discounted rate. You can save an additional $200 per person if your organization becomes a member of CSHA. Check if your organization is a member or become a member now.
Brazelton’s Learning to Listen Event on Effects of Anti-Immigrant Policies
Mayra E. Alvarez, TCP president, will speak March 19 at 12 p.m. as part of Brazelton’s Learning to Listen series on the impacts on children and families of current immigration policy and on-the-ground real-time implementation. She will also discuss what is being and can be done to mitigate trauma caused by the presidential administration’s anti-immigrant policies.
ACLU Know Your Rights Training Series
ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties is hosting a Know Your Rights training series designed to educate people on their rights, how to protect them, and what to do if their rights have been violated. Trainings will be held online and will be available in English and Spanish.
The next event on education equity rights will be held March 26. The training will provide an overview of ACLU’s Free to Learn, Free to Be toolkit and its role in advocating for students’ rights – especially LGBTQ students, students with disabilities, Black and brown students, and Indigenous students – to have the freedom to learn and express themselves at school.
All Children Thrive Conference
Public Health Advocates invites you to the All Children Thrive Conference April 2-3 in Sacramento. This two-day event will bring together community leaders, advocates, educators and health care providers to protect and uplift California’s children, especially those in under-invested communities.
Hear from inspiring keynote speakers, including Flojaune Cofer, Manuel Pastor and Kanwarpal Dhaliwal. Scholarships are available.
Let’s build resilience and solidarity for the future!
TCP President Speaks on Impacts of Immigration Enforcement Actions
Mayra E. Alvarez was quoted by Public News Service on the effects of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions on children’s health, as well as the chilling effect on families of Trump’s executive order rescinding protected spaces from such actions. “That day to day worrying…leads to a host of health issues, everything from increased anxiety, and depression, to stomachaches, to behaviors that aren’t reflective of who they are,” Alvarez said. Listen to the story here, or read it in Spanish.
Alvarez Quoted in CalMatters on Impacts of Proposition 35
TCP President Mayra E. Alvarez was interviewed by CalMatters on the effects of the passage of Proposition 35, including the need to fight yet again for funding for continuous Medi-Cal coverage for young children. “This is a clear opportunity to address systemic barriers that hinder Medi-Cal access,” she said. The story was also picked up by LAist and KPBS in Spanish, among other outlets.
TCP Research on Children in Immigrant Families Cited by LAist
In a story on CalFresh benefits becoming temporarily available to undocumented victims of January’s Los Angeles fires, LAist cited TCP’s A Child is a Child fact sheet on children in immigrant families.
