June 2023 Newsletter
This Pride Month, we celebrate the diversity within California’s LGBTQ+ community and call on all of us to uplift and protect our LGBTQ+ youth. California youth are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. LGBTQ+ youth are at the forefront of this crisis.
Over 400 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in the U.S. this year. These bills seek to hide, devalue and stigmatize our queer and questioning youth.
One of our sponsored bills, AB 665 (Asm. Carrillo), would help move youth mental health forward by allowing youth on Medi-Cal the chance to consent to their own mental health care. It’s a right that youth on private insurance already have. AB 665 will serve all California youth, but it will be an important protection in the hands of California LGBTQ+ youth who desperately need mental health care, but can’t access it.
June Budget Response
On June 27, Governor Newsom signed an interim state budget. We are grateful for key protections in the budget for the health and well-being of California’s children and the adults they rely on. However, there remain opportunities to include critical supports that advance health equity and racial justice for our state’s children and their families. Click here to read more about TCP’s response and budget priorities.
Contact Governor Newsom about these priorities and how our state’s budget can better support children and families.
Legislation Updates
We are co-sponsoring five bills that advance child health equity in California with incredible partners. We are excited that four of these bills have already passed their house of origin!
Support AB 608, AB 665 , AB 289 , AB 1202 and ACA 10 by submitting letters to the state legislature via the advocate’s portal using the template letter of support linked below!
AB 289 (Holden) ensures youth have a voice in local investments that support mental health and well-being.
[Letter of Support] [Fact Sheet]
A Child Is A Child: Children in Immigrant Families
In honor of Immigrant Heritage Month, and in partnership with The Center for Law and Social Policy and California Protecting Immigrant Families, TCP released its 3rd fact sheet focused on children in immigrant families in California. The snapshot
- – Celebrates over four million children who are part of immigrant families
- – Paints a picture of the rich diversity these families bring to California
- – Points out the barriers to health and well-being that these children face
- – Highlights the strengths of children in immigrant families that help address the challenges they face
We invite you to join us in sharing this snapshot and critical research.
View the fact sheet here: A Child is a Child
Share directly from our social media kit here.
Congratulations to the Accountable Communities for Health (ACH) Grantees
Congratulations to the 23 new and 13 pilot ACHs who received grants to begin local initiatives through community-run collaboratives. Many of these specifically target child and family supports.
Check out California Accountable Communities for Health Initiatives Release here.
Check out the list of ACH grantees here.
Digital Equity Webinar
On June 8, over 100 people joined us for the webinar, “Digital Equity is Health Equity: Opportunities to Drive Change for Healthy Families and Equitable Communities.”
With our partners at Insure the Uninsured Project, we
- – shared hot-off-the-press resources on the connection between digital equity and health
- – explored the barriers to digital access and how structural racism drives digital inequities for California families
- – highlighted timely action opportunities to advance digital inclusion as a basis of health equity for all of California’s kids.
Check out the webinar recording, slides, and an extensive list of resources here. In case you missed it, be sure to check out TCP’s newest brief, “Digital Equity: A Key to Children’s Health & Racial Justice,” which includes an actionable policy agenda that we have the power to move in the next two years.
June Immigration Summit
On June 22, The Children’s Partnership joined Children at Risk and CLASP for the 3rd annual Immigration Summit. Along with partners and advocates across the country, we explored the unique needs facing immigrant children and their families
- – changes to our immigration policy landscape
- – border policies
- – child labor
- – health care
- – access to benefits
Advocates have an important role in shaping the narrative around immigrant families and the work we still have to do to ensure that immigrant families have the resources they need to lead healthy lives.
Thank you to Gabby Benitez, TCP Senior Policy Associate, for MCing this event!
Check out the recording of the Immigration Summit here.
Youth Mental Health in California
On May 24, Angela M. Vázquez, our Policy Director of Mental Health, attended the Behavioral Health State Advisory Committee. On June 14, she attended the Office of Health Equity Advisory Committee.
TCP encouraged the California Department of Public Health and the Department of Health Care Services to find ways to uplift the developmental needs of children and youth at different life stages, and to consider how racial and ethnic identities impact people’s experiences across their lives.
We look forward to more opportunities to work alongside committee members to push forward children’s health equity for Black, Brown, Latinx, Indigenous, multiracial and other children of color in California.
Leveraging Digital Health to Drive Equity and Integration in Primary Care Webinar
On June 6, Gabriella Barbosa, our Managing Policy Director, participated in Blue Shield of California’s webinar on digital health equity in primary care. Gabriella shared learning and recommendations from recent community research. The panel discussed ways to use digital care tools to meet the health care needs of specific populations, such as people living with disabilities, children with special health care needs, rural residents, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
There are areas for improvement in the digital health space, and The Children’s Partnership encouraged listeners to think about steps they can take to help realize the promise of these tools.
Promoting Immigrant Health: Medi-Cal Renewals & Public Charge Impact in Accessing Public Benefits
On Thursday, July 27, at 2:00 pm PT, join the California Protecting Immigrant Families (CA-PIF) Outreach & Communications Workgroup at our next webinar: Promoting Immigrant Health: Medi-Cal Renewals & Public Charge Impact in Accessing Public Benefits. The webinar will be hosted in English and Spanish. Find out more, share the information, and encourage others to join: bit.ly/MediCalandPublicCharge.
Speakers will inform service providers and community-based organizations on how to
educate immigrant clients about Medi-Cal renewals
encourage community members to access public services they are legally entitled to
This webinar is held in partnership with Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP), The Children’s Partnership and the California Primary Care Association; as well as Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County and Western Center on Law and Poverty.
Medi-Cal Renewals Underway–Questions? Let us know How it is Going!
Medi-Cal renewals are underway and the first disenrollments will be issued at the end of this month. To help answer questions and hear how it is going for those community navigators and local organizations helping families to renew, The Children’s Partnership and National Health Law Program is hosting monthly Medi-Cal Renewal Feedback Loop. We had our first discussion on June 21 and our next one will be July 19 at noon. Please join us by registering here and share these fliers with local partners.
Medical Debt Impact Report from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health recently released a report that connected medical debt to children’s health and racial justice. It found that one in ten LA County residents experience medical debt, amounting to more than $2.6 billion.
Families with children are significantly more likely to be burdened by medical debt, as are Latinx, Black, and American Indian/Alaska Native residents. Families with medical debt are more likely to be food insecure, forgo healthcare, and have unstable housing. It’s not just the uninsured who are affected. Significant portions of those on Medi-Cal and private insurance have medical debt, as well.
In response, TCP is co-leading efforts to convene community, advocacy, and legal services partners to address the issues detailed in the report. We will also address concerns about how health care institutions are accountable to the communities they serve.
Read the full report and recommendations:
English
Spanish
