For Immediate Release
May 10, 2021
Contact:
Jaime Botello
Marwa Abdelghani
mabdelghani@childrenspartnership.org
Los Angeles, CA [May 10, 2021] Today, Health Net and The Children’s Partnership announced the launch of the 2021 Community Connections series. The virtual series, titled “Advancing Whole Child Health through Telehealth,” will bring together residents and other local stakeholders in Los Angeles, the Inland Empire and the Central Valley. With a deeper understanding of the economic and social challenges influencing access to health care for low-income families and families of color, Health Net and The Children’s Partnership seek to advance equitable health outcomes.
Together, families, educators, healthcare providers, and community leaders will:
- Identify barriers that prevent access to school-based telehealth
- Find solutions to bring comprehensive health and mental health services to students via telehealth in schools
- Create a statewide policy brief with recommendations to help local communities integrate a school-based telehealth model
Health Net partnered with The Children’s Partnership to listen to and work with the community in order to identify school-based opportunities to ensure children get the care they need. After the series, Health Net will also award $150,000 in additional grants to local community-based organizations to carry out the work and execute the feedback gathered from the three convenings.
“With the national pandemic putting a pause on some regular services, many children are not getting the care they need,” said Brian Ternan, President and CEO of Health Net and California Health and Wellness. “Telehealth is increasingly helping school nurses meet students’ physical and mental needs, both in school and virtually. At Health Net, our partnerships with organizations like The Children’s Partnership help us deliver on our goal to transform the health of our community, one person at a time.”
“As we start to come out of this pandemic, the long-term health of California’s historically marginalized children and their families is of major concern to us,” said Mayra E. Alvarez, President of The Children’s Partnership. “Families of color and low-income families are continuing to struggle with their mental and social-emotional health, financial and food insecurity, access to healthcare, and technology access – all challenges that have exacerbated already existing inequities. We thank Health Net for their partnership and support as we continue to look for equitable solutions to help transform the way our society supports children and families so that all California children can thrive.”
Whether in-person or virtual, schools continue to serve as community hubs for families, often facilitating access to critical health and social services in addition to education. This series will explore how California can expand telehealth solutions in school settings. All in an effort to address the urgent mental and behavioral health needs of children in historically marginalized communities, including:
- Low-income families,
- Families of color,
- Immigrant families, and
- Families of children with special health care needs.
For more news about Health Net, please visit www.HealthNet.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.
For more information about The Children’s Partnership, please visit www.childrenspartnership.org or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
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About Health Net
At Health Net, we believe every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. Founded 40 years ago, we remain dedicated to transforming the health of our community, one person at a time. Today, Health Net’s 3,000 employees and 85,000 network providers serve more than 3 million members. That’s nearly 1 in 12 Californians. We provide health plans for individuals, families, businesses of every size, people with Medicare and people with Medi-Cal — Coverage for Every Stage of LifeTM. Health Net also offers access to substance abuse programs, behavioral health services, employee assistance programs and managed health care products related to prescription drugs. We offer these health plans and services through Health Net, LLC and its subsidiaries: Health Net of California, Inc., Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), a Fortune 100 company providing health coverage to more than 20 million Americans. For more information, visit HealthNet.com.
About The Children’s Partnership
The Children’s Partnership (TCP) is a California-based children’s advocacy organization committed to improving the lives of marginalized children where they live, learn, and play with breakthrough solutions via research, policy, and community engagement. Since 1993, TCP has been a leading voice for children and a critical resource for communities across California and the nation, working every day to champion policies that provide all children with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. For more information, visit www.childrenspartnership.org.
