News

LOS ANGELES – June 28, 2024 – This week, the legislature passed and Governor Gavin Newsom is in the process of signing a series of budget bills for the 2024-25 fiscal year that reaffirm the state’s commitment to Health4All, while addressing a historic budget deficit. The budget maintains California’s leadership in expanding health care coverage but pulls back from critically needed investments to improve Medi-Cal members’ access to care.

We applaud the Governor and legislature’s decision to preserve the expansion of Medi-Cal, regardless of immigration status, including In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) for all Californians with Medi-Cal. IHSS helps ensure residents with low incomes who are elderly, blind or disabled (including children) get the support they need at home, promoting well-being and reducing the need for expensive out-of-home care. Additionally, the budget retains the optional Medi-Cal acupuncture benefit.

Yet, patients can only obtain Medi-Cal benefits and services if they are able to enroll in the program and keep their coverage each year. The budget preserves funding for the Health Enrollment Navigator for Clinics program to assist patients in getting – and staying – covered but eliminates funding for the county-run Health Enrollment Navigators program.

For coverage to be meaningful, the state must invest in the systems patients rely upon for care. California is grappling with a severe health care workforce shortage. Past budgets invested hundreds of millions of dollars in programs to address the crisis. While this budget preserves funding to prevent disruption to workforce programs already underway – including the Song-Brown Primary Care Residency and Nursing Programs, the Health Professionals Career Opportunity Program, and the California Medicine Scholars Program – it reduces funding for health care training by $746 million over five years.

“Cuts to health care training programs in the coming years will severely impact California’s future health workforce,” said Louise McCarthy, President and CEO of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County. “In the middle of a crisis, now is the time to build the health workforce California needs to maintain our commitment to creating a more equitable system of care for all patients.”

The budget also pulls back on Equity and Practice Transformation funding. Care transformation is crucial to the state’s efforts under CalAIM to transform Medi-Cal into a more coordinated, person-centered, and equitable health system for all patients, but without resources, essential data and care management systems can be prohibitively expensive for safety net providers.

This year’s budget process underscores the importance of protecting the funding that supports California’s Medi-Cal program. The MCO tax generates billions of dollars of revenue and brings federal resources to the state to invest in the program, including much needed funding for health centers that already operate on razor-thin margins. After proposing to redirect these funds, the Governor reached an agreement with the legislature that preserves some of the revenue for Medi-Cal in the budget for the next fiscal year but delays larger investments until future years. The Protect Our Health Care Initiative on this November’s ballot will extend the MCO tax indefinitely and ensure these critical resources are dedicated to supporting Medi-Cal and improving patient care.

We look forward to continuing our work with the Newsom Administration, the legislature, and our health care partners to strengthen Medi-Cal and advance health care access and equity for all Californians.

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About the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County

Founded in 1994, the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community health centers in California. Health centers in Los Angeles serve more than 1.97 million patients at over 450 sites across the county. The majority of these patients (72%) have low incomes, and 92% are covered by public insurance or uninsured. CCALAC is dedicated to helping health centers remain at the forefront of health care transformation, in support of the patients and communities they serve. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Manager, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529.

LOS ANGELES – May 10, 2024 – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled his May Revision budget proposal for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which aims to address California’s significant budget deficit. After an early action budget package that included $17.3 billion of solutions, the Governor projects a remaining $27.6 billion budget problem. While the proposal protects most core services, it also includes cuts and reductions that will jeopardize access to care and services for millions of California’s lowest-income residents. The proposal protects, with some exceptions, the state’s historic Medi-Cal expansion to all income-eligible people but cuts critical workforce funding.

The Newsom Administration has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to ensuring all Californians can access health care through expansions of Medi-Cal eligibility. For coverage to translate into meaningful access, however, the state must invest in the providers and facilities that patients depend on.

We applaud the proposal to continue investments in Medi-Cal coverage but are disappointed that it eliminates In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) for individuals without documentation. This proposal means that immigration status will continue to affect people’s ability to fully access services—a reversal of the state’s intent to truly expand access to care for all, regardless of immigration status.

Further, the budget proposes reversals on other important Medi-Cal investments, such as funding for the safety net and our health care workforce. Last year’s budget included an agreement to invest $50 million in Managed Care Organization (MCO) Tax revenue into community health centers, along with other critical safety net investments such as rate increases for providers. The Governor’s new proposal redirects that funding, which is crucial to the state’s efforts to advance access, quality, and equity for Medi-Cal members.

The May Revise also reduces spending for critical health care workforce initiatives including the Health Professions Career Opportunity Program, the California Medicine Scholars Program, and the Song-Brown Residency Program. While California continues to expand and enhance the Medi-Cal program, clawing back on workforce investments is counterproductive amidst a severe and worsening statewide health care workforce shortage. Investments in workforce and our safety net are essential to ensure that the one in three Californians who are covered by Medi-Cal can find a doctor when they need care.

“We recognize that in a budget deficit, the state must make difficult decisions, but not at the expense of our critical safety net health care system,” said Louise McCarthy, President and CEO of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County. “The state must continue to invest in Medi-Cal and our health care workforce to ensure people can meaningfully access the health care they need.”

In the coming weeks we look forward to working with the legislature and the Administration to develop a budget that includes the necessary investments in the Medi-Cal provider network and health care workforce for a sustainable, equitable health care system.

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About the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County

Founded in 1994, the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community health centers in California. Health centers in Los Angeles serve more than 1.97 million patients at over 450 sites across the county. The majority of these patients (72%) have low incomes, and 92% are covered by public insurance or uninsured. CCALAC is dedicated to helping health centers remain at the forefront of health care transformation, in support of the patients and communities they serve. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Manager, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529.

Initiative will expand access to healthcare services and improve care for all Californians

Sacramento, CA – The Coalition to Protect Access to Care has submitted more than 800,000 signatures to county registrars throughout California to qualify the Protect Access to Healthcare Initiative for the November 2024 ballot.

The initiative leverages existing federal funding to expand access to care for patients across California. It will protect the historic investment made by a bipartisan group of state leaders to provide stability for patients and healthcare providers.

California’s healthcare system is in crisis. In rural and urban communities alike, hospitals are closing, doctors offices are having to shut their doors, and community health centers and emergency departments are struggling to meet the needs of communities across our state. Without raising existing taxes, this measure – which has broad, bipartisan support –  will ensure our healthcare system has the stable funding it needs to provide better healthcare for Californians.

“This critical measure will address the growing challenges facing healthcare clinics and hospitals in all corners of the state — from rural communities to our largest cities,” said State Senate Leader Mike McGuire (D-North Coast). “As hospitals scale back essential services like maternity care, and others shutter their doors entirely, this measure will inject a shot of stability in the arm of our healthcare systems, making it easier for millions of the most vulnerable Californians to access care and see a doctor. We know this initiative will reduce emergency room wait times across the state — without raising one dime of taxes on patients or consumers. This is a win for a healthier California.”

“California must follow through on its promise to patients, in particular those on Medi-Cal, to ensure their health coverage is meaningful,” said Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister). “This important measure protects Californians’ access to preventative, dental and reproductive care — when they need it — while sustaining our health workforce and reducing emergency visits.”

“Access to healthcare is something all Californians deserve,” said Senate Pro Tem Emeritus Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). “As hospitals are closing and emergency room wait times are growing, this measure provides much needed stability for our healthcare system and funds programs that our most vulnerable populations rely on. This is an important step to providing quality healthcare without any new taxes.”

“While other states are cutting or eliminating funding for reproductive healthcare, California is reaffirming its commitment to closing gaps in access so all Californians— particularly low-income individuals who rely on Medi-Cal—can access the care they need,” said Jodi Hicks, President/CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.

“At a time when hospitals and the entire healthcare system is struggling to preserve access to vital healthcare services, this measure would be a monumental win for patients,” said CHA President & CEO Carmela Coyle. “This measure would deliver an ongoing, annual infusion of much-needed resources, especially for Medi-Cal patients.”

“Chronic underfunding of our safety-net healthcare system has led to a crisis in our communities,” said Tanya W. Spirtos, President of the California Medical Association. “With this initiative, we have the opportunity to fundamentally improve healthcare for all Californians, ensure access to essential services, keep hospitals and doctors offices open and make prescription drugs more affordable.”

The measure also leverages federal funding to provide more funding to train the healthcare workers we need to meet our state’s workforce shortage throughout our healthcare system. “California’s healthcare workers are the backbone of our healthcare system,” said Tia Orr, executive director of SEIU California. “Providing money to train and hire more healthcare workers and increase healthcare workers’ wages will lead to better care for patients across California.”

“This measure will ensure we can protect the state’s investment in healthcare and ensure health quality and access to millions of Californians on Medi-Cal,” said Francisco J. Silva, Esq., President and CEO of the California Primary Care Association. “Community health centers serve one third of California’s Medi-Cal population, and one fifth of all Californians, placing us at the forefront in addressing the health needs of these patients, and it is imperative that the funding remain intact.”

“California’s emergency medical services have been under pressure for over a decade,” said Jason Sorrick of Global Medical Response.”This initiative will build sustainable 911 emergency ambulance systems by funding training, recruitment and improving retention of EMTs and paramedics serving our communities.”

“Medi-Cal currently provides medical and dental coverage to 15 million low-income Californians, making it the largest provider of medical and dental insurance in the state,” said Carliza Marcos, DDS, president of the California Dental Association. “ After decades of underfunding, this will finally provide some long-term, permanent funding solutions we need to provide better care to millions of Californians.”

“Sutter Health is proud to stand with such a formidable coalition fighting for expanded access to healthcare,” said Warner Thomas, president and CEO of Sutter Health. “This initiative will expand access to needed care and fund the health care workforce programs essential to training additional caregivers throughout California.”

“Increasing Medi-Cal provider rates supports the doctors who serve one-third of Californians who are among the most vulnerable,” said John Baackes, CEO, L.A. Care Health Plan. “Bringing healthcare stakeholders together will help to shore up our state’s healthcare system and help build healthy communities.”

The measure will increase reimbursement rates for Medi-Cal providers, some of which have not been increased in decades, and will expand California’s education and training to create a pipeline of healthcare providers including physicians, nurses, dentists, physician assistants, and medical assistants. This funding will help alleviate provider shortages in underserved areas of the state.

Specifically, the initiative will:

• Expand access to preventive healthcare for Medi-Cal patients, leading to fewer costly emergency room visits and shorter wait times for all Californians.
• Protect existing healthcare funds and require them to be spent to keep hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices open, and expand access to healthcare.
• Help California to manufacture its own insulin and other prescription drugs for much lower prices than exist currently.

When qualified, the initiative will appear on the November 2024 ballot. For more information, visit AccessToHealthcareCA.com

About the Coalition to Protect Access to Care
The Coalition to Protect Access to Care is a group of doctors, hospitals, healthcare workers, community health centers, Planned Parenthood, dentists, health plans and emergency responders dedicated to increasing access to healthcare. For more information, contact Press@AccessToHealthCareCA.com.

By Zev Yaroslavsky and Louise McCarthy

Government is often criticized for its failures, but once in a while government has a profound success story. In January, California took the final step in expanding our Medi-Cal program to all income eligible residents, regardless of documentation status. As a result, Los Angeles County has sunset its public uninsured program, My Health LA, as its enrollees move to Medi-Cal. Thanks to decades-long efforts to stabilize and strengthen a once-crumbling safety net system, the Medi-Cal expansion offers Angelenos more than just a coverage card. It offers access to quality health care. As we celebrate this expansion of coverage it is important to recognize the investments that laid the foundation for this to happen.

Thirty years ago, our health system was on the edge of collapse and the county was on the brink of bankruptcy. In addition to the weight of an economic recession, our health system was financially burdened by a crisis of access and coverage. Over a third of Angelenos were indigent. County health facilities were overcrowded and largely focused on expensive inpatient hospital care, with a growing proportion of patients lacking insurance.

To avoid a total collapse, the county had to act fast. Initially, the county was forced to cut costs. At the same time, it proposed innovative policy and financing strategies to Sacramento and requested relief from the Federal government. In 1995, the county negotiated an agreement with the federal government that brought in $1 billion over the ensuing five years, with the promise that it would reorient its health services from inpatient to outpatient care in order to deliver cost savings to the health care system.

This reorganization of our health care delivery model set the stage for future gains. As part of the agreement, the county contracted with private nonprofit community health centers to provide a significant increase in primary care services to low-income uninsured residents. As a result, the county tripled the number of clinics serving the county’s rising uninsured population – from 39 to 170. The number of patients staying in hospitals decreased by 24%, and avoidable emergency room visits declined by 27%, resulting in significant cost savings and improved quality of care.

While these were great achievements, they weren’t enough. Los Angeles’s health system was still in the red. The Clinton administration extended the agreement, buying the County the time needed to balance its books. Coupled with a 1998 settlement of a lawsuit against major tobacco companies and a 2002 voter-approved parcel tax, the county health system books were finally balanced.

Ten years after the initial federal agreement, federal funds expired, but the Board of Supervisors continued investing its own resources in the safety net. As a result, not only were vital health services expanded, but so were critical facilities to improve access to care.

In 2008, the nation faced another, deeper, recession. Again, the county looked at closures and drastic cuts, threatening to nullify the gains it had made. Federal aid came again, this time in the form of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, which provided grants to build and improve sites, as well as to underwrite care for the uninsured.

Because of the county’s prior investments, both the public and private health care systems were shovel-ready to take advantage of another infusion of federal funding thanks to passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Obama Care, as the ACA came to be known, made it possible for California to expand coverage through Medi-Cal.  Overnight, hundreds of thousands of residents received health insurance and now had a ready-made medical home in the safety net.

In the 1990s, we were just trying to keep the doors open and our heads above water. Little did we know that our efforts would lay the groundwork for what would become the foundation of major future expansions. Those county contracts with private clinics eventually became the My Health LA program, which sunset last month.

Since that initial investment in primary care, and in restructuring service delivery, Los Angeles has transformed its public and private safety net. Nonprofit clinics now serve 1.89 million Los Angeles residents each year at nearly 400 sites. Fewer than 750,000 Los Angeles residents lack health insurance, and that number will shrink even more with the Medi-Cal expansion.

While these achievements are impressive, more still needs to be done. Nearly 10% of Angelenos still report difficulty finding primary care, and that gap in our system must be closed. Health care should be a right, not a privilege. The long struggle to expand care proves that collaboration between Federal, State and County governments can yield consequential results. Our job won’t be finished until we provide coverage to everyone by building on the foundation we created over the last three decades.

Zev Yaroslavsky is director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, and was an LA County Supervisor from 1994 to 2014. Louise McCarthy is president and chief executive officer of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County.

LOS ANGELES – January 11, 2024 – Yesterday Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled his 2024-25 state budget proposal, which aims to address California’s budget deficit. The Governor’s budget estimates a $37.9 billion budget shortfall, substantially lower than the $68 billion gap projected by the Legislative Analyst’s Office in December. The proposal protects investments in Medi-Cal and the state’s historic expansion of the program on January 1, but delays critical health care workforce funding. 

Gov. Newsom intends to close the budget shortfall by withdrawing dollars from the state’s rainy-day fund and enacting various spending reductions and delays. The Governor also proposes seeking federal approval for an amendment to generate an additional $1.5 billion from the state’s Managed Care Organization Provider Tax (MCO Tax), a tax on health insurance plans that generates federal matching funds for the state, compared to the approved MCO Tax amount from 2023. The proposal maintains the agreement from last year’s budget to invest $50 million in MCO Tax revenue into community health centers. 

CCALAC applauds the Governor for upholding investments in expanding the Medi-Cal program. As of January 1, California became the first state in the nation to expand coverage to all income-eligible residents, regardless of immigration status. The budget also includes continued investments in CalAIM, the Medi-Cal health care delivery system transformation initiative.  

While the Governor’s budget preserves the expansion and transformation of Medi-Cal – projected to cover approximately 14.8 million people in 2023-24 – it falls short in investing in solutions to California’s health care workforce crisis. The Governor proposes delays in funding for workforce programs, including nursing and social work initiatives and other investments in growing the behavioral health workforce. Now is not the time to delay funds for essential workforce programs that seek to strengthen the safety net’s provider network. 

Further, Governor Newsom proposes to redirect $14.9 million in unused funds from the health care worker retention bonus program – funds that were slated for workforce development programs – for other purposes. The state should use these funds to bolster the health care workforce at this critical time.  

During his budget proposal unveiling, the Governor also shared his potential plans to seek delays in implementing the state’s new minimum wage mandate for health care workers under SB 525, signed into law in 2023. Regardless of SB 525’s implementation timeline, the state must ensure safety net providers, like community health centers, have sufficient reimbursement and resources to support their workforce. FQHCs’ Medi-Cal Prospective Payment System (PPS) reimbursement structure does not allow for rates to be adjusted in response to new wage mandates or changes, a concern health centers consistently raised over the last year.  

“Reimbursement reforms are long overdue to provide health centers with the resources to recruit and retain a high-quality workforce,” said CCALAC’s President and CEO, Louise McCarthy. “Additionally, health centers are critical partners to the state in ongoing care transformation initiatives and payment reform will provide the flexibility to transform how they provide care to their growing patient populations.” 

We look forward to engaging the Governor and Legislature throughout this year’s budget and legislative process as health centers seek to expand access to care, strengthen the Medi-Cal provider network and refine the PPS reimbursement structure. 

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About the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County  

Founded in 1994, the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community health centers in California. Health centers in Los Angeles serve more than 1.89 million patients at over 380 sites across the county. The majority of these patients (75%) have low incomes, and 92% are covered by public insurance or uninsured. CCALAC is dedicated to helping health centers remain at the forefront of health care transformation, in support of the patients and communities they serve. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.  

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Manager, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529.

LOS ANGELES – July 12, 2023 – A bill to implement a $25 healthcare worker minimum wage sounds like a great solution for California’s healthcare workforce crisis, but without funding for community health centers, the patients who can least afford it will pay. CCALAC’s Louise McCarthy, El Proyecto del Barrio, Inc.’s Corinne Sánchez, and Valley Community Healthcare’s Paula Wilson share how SB 525 will worsen the crisis for health centers in an op-ed published in Los Angeles Daily News.

LOS ANGELES – July 11, 2023 – Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a series of budget bills for the 2023-24 fiscal year that demonstrate the state’s commitment to preserve and improve the health and well-being of all Californians. The budget avoids cuts to Medi-Cal and critical health care programs and maintains California’s leadership in expanding health care coverage and access. CCALAC commends the Governor for advancing a Managed Care Organization (MCO) Tax plan that will generate billions in revenue to strengthen Medi-Cal.  

The plan includes $75 million annually to support graduate medical education and, starting in 2025, $2.7 billion annually to improve access and equity in Medi-Cal. For the Governor’s 2024-2025 budget, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will propose rate increases and investments in other services, supports and health care workforce.    

In January 2024, DHCS will increase provider rates to at least 87.5 percent of Medicare for primary care, obstetrics, and non-specialty mental health services. Provider rate increases, however, will not impact community health centers directly due to their unique payment structure. We look forward to working with DHCS and the legislature to put forth a spending plan in next year’s budget that ensures health centers receive critical funding relief.    

“Renewing the MCO Tax alone will not fix the chronic funding gaps in Medi-Cal, but it is a good start,” said CCALAC President and CEO Louise McCarthy. “As Medi-Cal’s patient population and services continue to expand, the much-needed revenue will have a positive impact on patients and providers overall.”  

In addition to the MCO Tax reinstatement, we applaud the decision to maintain the expansion of Medi-Cal to income-eligible adults ages 26-49, regardless of immigration status, on January 1, 2024. With this expansion, Medi-Cal is projected to cover approximately 14.2 million Californians in 2023-24—more than one-third of the state’s population. 

Further, the budget requires that the majority of funds raised from Covered California’s individual mandate tax penalty will be used to lower health care coverage costs for consumers, including significantly reducing deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. 

We are also encouraged by the legislature’s decision to move forward with, instead of delay, health and behavioral health care workforce programs. A comprehensive nursing initiative, administered through HCAI, is a multi-year plan to increase the number of registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, certified nursing assistants, certified nurse midwives, certified medical assistants, family nurse practitioners, and other health professions. The plan includes upskilling and training programs, and support for nursing student loan repayment, scholarship, and nursing education grant programs. 

The budget includes funding for social work training programs, stipends and scholarships designed to increase the number of social workers trained in the state and create a new pipeline for diverse social workers who cannot otherwise afford the financial or time investment required to complete full-time training programs. Additionally, the budget includes investments in addiction psychiatry and addiction medicine fellowship programs. 

We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Newsom Administration and the Legislature to advance community health center priorities, including investments that support health equity, health centers viability, and a robust health care workforce.  

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About the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County  

Founded in 1994, the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community health centers in California. Health centers in Los Angeles serve more than 1.89 million patients at over 380 sites across the county. The majority of these patients (75%) have low incomes, and 92% are covered by public insurance or uninsured. CCALAC is dedicated to helping health centers remain at the forefront of health care transformation, in support of the patients and communities they serve. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.  

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Manager, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529. 

Internship Program Prepares Students for Careers in Community Health as State Grapples with Health Workforce Crisis

LOS ANGELES—June 5, 2023—This summer, 29 undergraduate health-professions students are participating in the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County’s (CCALAC) inaugural cohort of the Allied Health Internship Program (AHIP), a workforce initiative to develop the next generation of allied health professionals. As part of the program, interns receive paid hands-on training to prepare for careers in community health.

The AHIP is possible thanks to generous support from Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, California Area Health Education Center, and Cedars-Sinai. Funding covers the internship stipends and administrative support for participating health centers.

“California is experiencing an unprecedented health workforce crisis as demand for workers continues to outpace supply,” said CCALAC President and CEO Louise McCarthy. “This crisis is especially acute for nonprofit community health centers, which are mission-driven to address health disparities in their communities. In Los Angeles, these health centers serve 1.89 million residents a year, the majority of whom are publicly insured or uninsured.”

CCALAC created the AHIP to build a pipeline of diverse professionals to fill roles that are critical to the delivery of care. The program is designed to expose interns to community health, develop their skills, and help them build connections that promote mentorship and peer networking. All interns expressed a desire to serve under-resourced communities.

Students span multiple generations, from ages 18 to 49, and are majoring in allied health and health sciences at colleges and vocational schools across Los Angeles County. More than a third are pursuing a bachelor’s or associate degree, a quarter are studying medical assisting and another quarter are training to become phlebotomists. Twenty-five percent are majoring in or pursuing licensure in multiple areas of study. Nearly all interns identify as either Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African-American, Hispanic, or Latinx.

Over the course of five to six weeks, students will complete a paid 100-hour internship at 15 health centers in Los Angeles County. They will work approximately 10-25 hours per week in areas such as medical, dental and nurse assisting; phlebotomy; health education; pharmacy; administration; health information technology; and substance use disorder services.

“Inclusivity and social justice rest at the heart of my personal values. My desire to participate in the Allied Health Internship Program stems from my dedication to these convictions,” said Ava Boehm, an AHIP intern pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Language and Power at UCLA. “Growing up in Los Angeles, I have spent the entirety of my life immersed in this city’s incredible diversity which is unfortunately accompanied by significant social inequities. I see this program as a remarkable opportunity to use my education to give back to the communities that raised me, and I am honored to contribute to such impactful community health work.”

Upon completion of the program, interns may receive an offer of employment, depending on their host site’s needs. CCALAC will recognize all interns who complete the program during an award ceremony at the end of the summer.

“Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan is proud to support CCALAC’s efforts to boost the number of diverse community-health workers in Los Angeles County,” said Kristen Cerf, CEO and President of Blue Shield Promise Health Plan. “Community-health workers are critical to helping Medi-Cal members prevent or manage disease and disability and live longer and happier lives. When the healthcare workforce reflects the communities it serves, we know it reduces health inequities and can improve health outcomes.”

“Community health centers are committed to building the next generation of health care workers that will help them effectively and compassionately care for the communities they serve,” said McCarthy. “We’re thankful for our funders who made it possible to launch this program and hope that more funders will recognize the importance of investing in health care workforce solutions like the AHIP.”

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About the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County
Founded in 1994, the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community health centers in California. Health centers in Los Angeles serve more than 1.89 million patients at over 380 sites across the county. The majority of these patients (75%) have low incomes, and 92% are covered by public insurance or uninsured. CCALAC is dedicated to helping health centers remain at the forefront of health care transformation, in support of the patients and communities they serve. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

About Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan
Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan is a managed care organization, wholly owned by Blue Shield of California, offering Medi-Cal. It is led by healthcare professionals with a “members-first” philosophy and committed to building a quality network of providers and partnering with community organizations for more than 537,618 members across Los Angeles and San Diego counties. For more information about Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, please visit www.blueshieldca.com/promise. For more news about Blue Shield of California, please. For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit www.news.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook

Media Contact
Taryn Burks, Communications Specialist
Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County
e: tburks@ccalac.org | t: (213) 201-6529

Mashi Nyssen
Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan
e: mashi.nyssen@blueshieldca.com | t: (626) 436-4345

LOS ANGELES – May 12, 2023 – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom released his revised May budget proposal for the 2023-24 fiscal year. We commend the Governor for a proposal that maintains California’s leadership in expanding health care coverage and avoids major cuts to critical programs in the face of a projected $31.5 billion deficit, $9.3 billion more than the shortfall projected in January.

We are pleased to see that the budget maintains the expansion of Medi-Cal to income-eligible adults ages 26-49, regardless of immigration status, on January 1, 2024. Medi-Cal is projected to cover approximately 15.3 million Californians in 2022-23 and 14.2 million in 2023-24—more than one-third of the state’s population.

The budget also maintains billions in investments in programs essential to improving the health and well-being of communities, including behavioral health and homelessness programs, support for Los Angeles County’s implementation of the Care Act (the state’s new pathway to deliver mental health, housing, and substance use disorder services to Californians most in need), universal school meals, transitional kindergarten, and the expansion of the California Food Assistance Program to income-eligible individuals aged 55 years or older, regardless of immigration status, by October 2025.

Additionally, the May Revise builds on the Governor’s January proposal by moving up the effective date of the Managed Care Organization (MCO) Tax to April 1, 2023. The MCO Tax is a valuable tool for generating much needed additional revenue for the Medi-Cal program. We appreciate the increased revenue this proposed MCO model will generate and the investment in critically needed provider rate increases. The May Revise, however, proposes to spend the revenue from the MCO tax over an 8 to 10-year period. We can make a more meaningful impact toward improving the Medi-Cal program and ensuring a robust provider network by making larger investments over a shorter time frame. We look forward to continued dialog with the administration about the MCO tax structure.

While the May Revise does not call for withdrawing resources from the Budget Stabilization Account (BSA), also known as the rainy-day fund, the budget proposes to utilize half — $450 million of $900 million — of the Safety Net Reserve to offset costs associated with Medi-Cal and CalWorks. While the Governor is mindful to maintain the rainy-day fund in case the state needs it in future years, we discourage dipping into the Safety Net Reserve while proposing an MCO tax that will generate billions in new revenue.

We applaud the Governor’s continued commitment to the health care workforce and no new delays or reductions in this area. Investments that bolster the safety net health care workforce are critically needed as we further expand the Medi-Cal program. Community health centers serve one in three Medi-Cal members in the state – as such, the budget must include investments to expand and enhance workforce programs that we know work for health centers such as educational debt relief for allied and behavioral health professionals, increased investments in advanced practice clinician training, and graduate medical education programs. We implore the Governor and legislature to prioritize, not delay, programs and investments to support growing and strengthening the health care workforce.

We look forward to working with the Administration and the Legislature this year to advance the priorities of our member health centers and their patients and, importantly, to design an MCO tax structure that ensures a robust and sustainable Medi-Cal provider network.

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About the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County

Founded in 1994, the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community health centers in California. Health centers in Los Angeles serve more than 1.89 million patients at over 380 sites across the county. The majority of these patients – 75% – have low incomes, and 92% are covered by public insurance or uninsured. CCALAC is dedicated to helping health centers remain at the forefront of health care transformation, in support of the patients and communities they serve. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529.

The funding helps recoup, but does not completely make up for, lost resources; health centers call for meaningful Medi-Cal funding reform

LOS ANGELES – March 30, 2023 – After over a year of delays, this month California’s community health centers finally began receiving funds from the State’s Supplemental Payment Pool (SPP), a fund developed to partially offset losses resulting from the transition to Governor Gavin Newsom’s Medi-Cal Rx program. In the year ahead we urge the state to meaningfully address Medi-Cal funding to ensure a more sustainable and equitable system of care for more than 1 in 3 Californians.

In January 2019 the governor proposed Medi-Cal Rx, the transition of the Medi-Cal pharmacy benefit out of managed care to the fee-for-service delivery system. The transition, which took effect in January 2022, caused health centers to lose an estimated $150-200 million annually due to lost discounts on pharmaceuticals under the prior managed care structure. Those lost funds had previously been used to backfill patient services and supports that are not adequately reimbursed by Medi-Cal.

In recognition of these losses, in 2020 the governor and the legislature allocated ongoing funds in the state budget to help mitigate the financial harm to the health center delivery system for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. While Medi-Cal Rx took effect in January 2022, health centers received their first payments from this new fund on March 13, 2023 – 14 months later.

Health centers have been working closely with the state administration, working to ensure that patients can still access their medications throughout the program’s bumpy implementation. All the while, health centers have been left short hundreds of millions in critically needed funding, while trying to piece together budget strategies to maintain the programs previously supported by pharmaceutical discounts.

Health centers are grateful that SPP funding is now flowing, which will help recoup – but not completely make up for – lost resources. Fourteen months, however, is too long of a wait and the safety net cannot continue to withstand this level of financial uncertainty and persistent reimbursement shortfalls. We look forward to working with the administration to create Medi-Cal funding solutions that will ensure a more sustainable and equitable system of care for the 15 million people that rely on Medi-Cal for their health care needs.

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THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community health centers in California. CCALAC’s 65 members provide comprehensive care to over 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. Founded in 1994, CCALAC and its members share a common mission of supporting and expanding access to quality comprehensive care for every individual. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529.

Residency Program Prepares Family Nurse Practitioners for Service in Under-resourced Communities

LOS ANGELES—JAN. 26, 2023—After the success of its first cohort, the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC), in partnership with the Chin Family Institute for Nursing (CFIN) at California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), has launched the second cohort of the Family Nurse Practitioner Community Care Residency Program. Through the program, three newly licensed family nurse practitioners (FNPs) are receiving post-graduate training while providing much-needed services at community health centers in Los Angeles.

As California continues to grapple with a health care workforce crisis, including a shortage of primary care providers, FNPs can help close the gap. FNPs provide high quality, community-based primary care and are able to operate at a high level of autonomy without the supervision of a physician. The Family Nurse Practitioner Community Care Residency Program aims to develop a primary care provider pipeline specifically for health centers, where the workforce shortage has been especially acute. This program is one of only two such programs in LA County.

Over the course of the 12-month program, FNP residents receive intensive training and on-the-job experience that prepares them to work in community health centers. Most health center patients have low incomes, live with chronic disease, and experience housing and food insecurity. Without training and support, new FNPs may feel overwhelmed by patient load and the complex diagnoses of health center patients. The residency program bridges the gap between academia and practice, training FNPs with a desire to work in community health on how to address the specific needs of health center patients. Residents receive didactic education in areas including population-based health, quality improvement and telehealth from the top-ranked CFIN faculty at Cal State LA.

The second cohort of residents is training at two community health centers in Los Angeles: Chinatown Service Center and South Central Family Health Center. Residents are recent graduates of Cal State LA, UCLA and University of Phoenix. All are licensed FNPs who hold master’s degrees in nursing and additional certification beyond a regular nursing degree. All wish to work with under-resourced populations.

“Being born and raised in South Los Angeles, an under-resourced community, has been a daily reminder of the health inequities of underrepresented people,” said program resident Lyanne Duarte. “Observing health disparities and health inequities has been an additional motivator in pursuing a career as an FNP. I aspire to work in the primary care setting servicing under-resourced patient populations including patients with limited insurance and those whose primary language is Spanish.”

Once the program is complete in October, the host sites may extend an employment offer to residents. All residents from the first cohort are currently employed by a health center that participated as a training site.

While some community health centers receive federal funding, FNP residency programs do not. The FNP Community Care Residency Program currently receives generous support from UniHealth Foundation and the California Area Health Education Center. More funding is necessary to continue the FNP Community Care Residency Program.

“We look forward to continuing our work with CFIN and our member health centers to develop a pipeline of FNPs who have the skills, confidence and preparation to deliver high quality, culturally competent care,” said CCALAC President and CEO Louise McCarthy. “We hope that more funders – public and private – will see the value in investing in programs such as ours to train the next generation of providers committed to working in community health.”

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About the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County

The Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 66 members that serve more than 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. The majority of these patients live below the poverty line. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

About the Chin Family Institute for Nursing at Cal State LA

California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 26,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.

The Chin Family Institute for Nursing at Cal State LA was created as a result of a philanthropic gift by Drs. Patricia and William Chin in 2016. Dr. Patricia Chin was a professor and director of the now named Patricia A. Chin School of Nursing. The mission of the Chin Family Institute for Nursing focuses on the advancement of nursing education, advocacy, leadership, and action. The Institute serves as a center for nursing excellence with an emphasis on caring for diverse, underserved urban populations. For more information, visit www.CalStateLA.edu.

Media Contact

Taryn Burks, Communications Specialist
Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County
e: tburks@ccalac.org | t: (213) 201-6529

LOS ANGELES – Jan. 11, 2023 – Yesterday, Governor Newsom unveiled his 2023-24 state budget proposal, which works to avoid cuts to California’s most critical programs in the face of a projected $22.5-billion deficit.

Despite the shortfall, the Governor maintains commitments to transforming and expanding Medi-Cal through continued investments in CalAIM and the expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility to all income-eligible Californians, regardless of immigration status, on January 1, 2024. This is laudable.

Community health centers share the Governor’s goal of universal coverage, but for coverage to be meaningful it must translate into access. What the budget does not do is make critically needed investments to bolster the health care workforce and the Medi-Cal provider network infrastructure. The Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) urges the Governor to prioritize rather than delay investments in health care workforce training programs and to make new investments to grow and strengthen the safety net health care workforce.

The Managed Care Organization (MCO) tax – a tax on health insurance plans that generates federal matching funds for the state – is a valuable tool in the Governor’s budget that should generate revenue for the Medi-Cal program. Medi-Cal urgently needs a new, ongoing revenue stream, but any additional funding from the MCO tax must be directed to strengthening the Medi-Cal program to enhance access for patients.

“Medi-Cal needs an additional revenue stream to support the transformative changes the state is seeking to improve the program and improve the health of our communities,” said Louise McCarthy, President & CEO of CCALAC. “An MCO tax that generates billions should not be used to fill budget gaps, but should augment the Medi-Cal budget to make up for decades of underfunding and to ensure people have timely access to the comprehensive, high-quality care they deserve.”

CCALAC looks forward to engaging with the Administration in the coming months as it explores opportunities to identify revenues to support increased access in the Medi-Cal system.

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THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community health centers in California. CCALAC’s 65 members provide comprehensive care to over 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. Founded in 1994, CCALAC and its members share a common mission of supporting and expanding access to quality comprehensive care for every individual. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529.

LOS ANGELES – July 22, 2022 – The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced awards of $43 million in funding to 49 Health Center Controlled Networks (HCCNs) across the nation. Among the awardees, the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) will receive $1.3 million per year over the next three years to serve 46 health centers in Los Angeles County. This is CCALAC’s fourth consecutive award.

HCCNs provide technical assistance to federally-funded health centers, using information technology to improve patient care, reduce health disparities and engage in value-based care delivery. The HRSA awards will enable HCCNs nationwide to support more than 1,200 health centers.

“In the last HCCN three-year grant cycle, members of the Los Angeles network received over 11,000 specialized technical assistance support hours, resulting in enhanced patient and provider experiences, improvements in data exchange, and data integration to inform value-based care activities at their clinics,” said Louise McCarthy, CCALAC President and CEO. “We are excited to continue this work, leveraging information technology to develop an equitable health care system that improves the health outcomes of the communities we serve.”

The new grant will enable CCALAC to grow its work, helping 46 health centers expand the use of health information technology, promote data sharing, and engage and empower patients in their health care with new technologies.

The list of the 49 award recipients can be found here.

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THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community health centers in California. CCALAC’s 65 members provide comprehensive care to over 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. Founded in 1994, CCALAC and its members share a common mission of supporting and expanding access to quality comprehensive care for every individual. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529.

LOS ANGELES – July 1, 2022 – Last night, Governor Newsom signed the state budget into law, continuing the state’s bold leadership in expanding coverage and making critically needed investments in health care.

We are thrilled to see the expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility to all income-eligible Californians, regardless of immigration status, by including adults age 26 to 49 by January 1, 2024. We applaud the Governor and the many partners and advocates who have worked tirelessly toward this goal, and we are excited for the more than 700,000 Californians who will finally be eligible for health care coverage. Now the work begins to prepare for enrolling these individuals and ensuring they can access the quality care they deserve. CCALAC, our members, and partners are committed to improving the strength of the Medi-Cal program as we embark on this historic expansion.

California’s health care workforce shortage is getting worse at the same time as we are expanding our Medi-Cal program. We thank the Governor and the legislature for investing in health center workforce training programs, primary care residency programs and graduate medical education, among other significant workforce investments. We look forward to identifying solutions to ensure community health centers can recruit and retain the workforce they need to ensure that Californians who gain coverage also gain meaningful access.

California’s budget demonstrates our state’s deep commitment to protecting reproductive health access as federal forces work to undermine it. Investments in reproductive health care infrastructure, workforce and our Title X family planning program will help California maintain and support the delivery of affordable, high quality, family planning services in California.

The administration’s Medi-Cal telehealth policy recognizes the importance of offering patients a variety of options to access care, including both video and audio visits. While we are pleased health centers will remain able to establish new patient relationships via video, we will need to work with the legislature to ensure that audio options are available for new patients who struggle with the digital divide and other barriers to streaming video.

There is much to celebrate in this budget, yet we are dismayed that the Governor and legislature did not adequately address the financial losses health centers are sustaining through the implementation of the Governor’s Medi-Cal Rx program. The state’s supplemental payment pool is a start, but its funding level falls short of the resources health centers have historically used to offset under-funding of Medi-Cal.

We look forward to continuing to work with the Administration and the legislature on strategies to strengthen and support health centers, expand access, and center health equity to improve the health of our communities.

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THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community health centers in California. CCALAC’s 65 members provide comprehensive care to over 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. Founded in 1994, CCALAC and its members share a common mission of supporting and expanding access to quality comprehensive care for every individual. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529.

LOS ANGELES – June 24, 2022 – The Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County condemns the Supreme Court of the United States’ decision today in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which will overturn Roe v. Wade and end nearly 50 years of nationwide protection for access to safe abortion. As a result, we will see abortion rights revoked in about half of the states, potentially jeopardizing the lives of women and pregnant people across the country, whose ability to make decisions about their bodies will be limited and who may resort to potentially life-threatening alternatives to terminate their pregnancies.  

Restrictions on access will disproportionately impact people who already face structural barriers to accessing care in this country, including people with low incomes, Black, Indigenous and other people of color, young people and others. In states with abortion bans, people will face enormous financial and logistical obstacles to receiving the care they need. Only those with financial means and wherewithal will have a choice for their care. 

Safe access to abortion is a health equity issue. Community clinics and health centers are firmly committed to expanding comprehensive health care access to all people, regardless of ability to pay. “Women, girls and all birthing people should be free to make decisions about their own bodies and lives in consultation with their doctors,” said Louise McCarthy, CCALAC President and CEO. 

“Fortunately, the state of California is committed to protecting the right to choose,” McCarthy added. “We look forward to continuing our work with the Governor, the legislature and partners across the state to protect and expand reproductive rights for all Californians.” 

THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 65 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.  

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529. 

LOS ANGELES – May 13, 2022 – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom released his revised budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year. We applaud the Governor for a proposal that leverages an unprecedented $97 billion surplus to further California’s leadership in expanding health care coverage, ensuring reproductive health care access, and increasing investments in behavioral health, childcare, and homeless health and housing. 

We are thrilled to see the historic investment in closing the remaining coverage gap by expanding Medi-Cal to income-eligible adults ages 26-49, slated to be implemented as soon as January 2024. As the state further expands the Medi-Cal program, it must also take steps to ensure a robust network of health care providers to deliver health, behavioral health, dental and specialty care to all newly covered Californians. This includes ensuring rates are sufficient to maintain and grow the provider network and investing in short-term and long-term solutions to address the state’s critical health care workforce shortage.  

We are pleased to see a $1 billion investment in recognition of our workforce challenges, including funding to maintain the Health Enrollment Navigators Project over the next four years. We implore the Administration, however, to include in the final budget greater investments in existing state programs that support educational debt relief for allied and behavioral health professionals, as well as increased investments in advanced practice clinician training and graduate medical education programs.  

We applaud the governor’s commitment to expanded workforce investments that prioritize the safety-net and developing a health care workforce that better reflects the diversity of our state. Community health centers serve 1 in 3 Medi-Cal members in the state – as such, the budget must include investments to expand and enhance workforce programs that we know work for health centers. In order to recruit and retain a high-quality, diverse workforce that represents the communities they serve, health centers also need long-term, sustainable solutions including reimbursement rates that accurately reflect true workforce costs.   

Medi-Cal Rx took effect in January and the financial implications to clinics are now very real. We appreciate the Governor’s continued commitment to the clinic Supplemental Payment Pool. What makes clinics unique is all the additional programs and supports they offer their patients; clinics cannot sustain the same level of services with less resources. We continue to urge the Administration and Legislature to augment this supplemental funding pool by $50 million (general fund) so clinics can maintain the essential programs and services these resources support.  

Health centers urge the administration to continue to prioritize efforts to address the racial and structural inequities laid bare by the pandemic. Clinics and community-based organizations are on the front lines and play a distinct role in identifying equity and justice issues at the local level and developing and implementing local solutions. The Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund is a critical component of this work and we urge the Governor and the Legislature to include this $100 million investment in the final budget. 

We look forward to working with the Administration and the Legislature this year to advance the priorities of our member clinics and the patients and families they serve, including expanding access to care and centering health equity. 

THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 65 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500. 

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529.

LOS ANGELES – Jan. 14, 2022 – On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom released his January budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year. We applaud the Governor for a budget proposal that leverages a projected $45 billion surplus to take bold steps to further California’s leadership in expanding health care coverage and addressing health, economic, environmental, and racial inequities.

As the state continues to weather the COVID-19 pandemic, we are encouraged to see increased resources for testing and vaccinations, especially a $583 million investment in increasing vaccination rates. The communities served by community health centers have been some of the hardest hit by the pandemic and we look forward to continuing to work with the Administration to ensure sufficient and equitable access to testing, treatment and vaccines.

Many voices, including our own, are also urging a greater effort to address the racial and structural inequities laid bare by the pandemic. We see the Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund as a critical component of this work. Community-based organizations, clinics and tribal organizations are on the front lines and play a distinct role in identifying equity and justice issues at the local level and developing and implementing local solutions.

We are excited to see a $1 billion proposed investment in health care workforce and appreciate the recognition of the critical state of the workforce shortage, which has only been exacerbated by COVID-19. We are pleased to see investments outlined for nurses, certified medical assistants, social workers, behavioral health providers, and community health workers. We urge the Administration and Legislature to expand these investments to include support for allied health professionals such as non-certified medical assistants and dental assistants. The health care workforce shortage is across all levels of providers and allied health professionals are a critical part of the care team.

We are thrilled to see the historic investment to expand Medi-Cal to all income-eligible Californians, regardless of immigration status, closing the remaining gap and allowing adults ages 27-49 to access comprehensive health coverage under the program. As the state expands Medi-Cal eligibility and continues exploring single payer models that would provide truly universal coverage, health care workforce investments become even more urgent. We implore the administration to ensure investments prioritize the safety-net and growing a workforce that better reflects the diversity of our state.

With major changes to the Medi-Cal pharmacy program taking effect, we appreciate the Governor’s continued commitment to the clinic Supplemental Payment Pool and strongly urge the Administration and Legislature to augment this fund to better sustain the essential programs and services these resources support. We are also anxiously awaiting budget policy language regarding future Medi-Cal telehealth policy which must ensure that patients served by community health centers retain equitable access to obtain care via their choice of modality, whether that is in-person, via video telehealth, or by telephone.

We look forward to working with the Administration and the Legislature this year to advance the priorities of our member clinics and the patients and families they serve, and to improve the health and well-being of California’s diverse communities.

THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 65 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529.

LOS ANGELES – Nov. 5, 2021 – The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified staffing challenges for community health centers. Now more than ever health centers struggle with staff recruitment, retention, and well-being. Staffing shortages are high, retention rates continue to decline, and health center staff are reporting high levels of burnout.

In response, CCALAC developed the Collaborative for Retention, Engagement and Wellness (CREW) to provide support and solutions to address these workforce challenges. CREW is a 12-week program that combines didactic training, group discussion, and organizational interventions. Teams from 14 health centers are participating in the first cohort of the initiative, which launched Nov. 4.

The program design was informed by CCALAC’s 2021 Workforce Retention Survey, in which respondents voiced their need for support with employee wellness, retention, onboarding and recruitment. The survey showed that health centers experience the greatest challenge in recruiting medical assistants, behavioral health staff, nurses and physicians, and that employee turnover is highest among medical assistants. Beside burnout, participants cited salary and life circumstances as the most common challenges to retaining staff. In addition to CCALAC’s survey, the statewide 2021 California Primary Care Association Workforce Development Survey showed that health centers’ top workforce priority is strengthening employee mental well-being and safety.

CREW is a first step to addressing the unique workforce challenges facing health centers. The program is poised to support member clinics as they navigate this new workforce landscape.

CREW is funded by Blue Shield Promise Health Plan and the California Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and is developed in partnership with the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU), which brings a breadth of expertise in retention, recruitment, and employee wellness to the program. To learn more about CREW please check out this informational video or reach out to Eva Batalla-Mann at ebatalla-mann@ccalac.org.

Participating member clinics include:

• The Achievable Foundation – Health Center
• Asian Pacific Health Care Venture
• BHS Health Center Network
• ChapCare
• Clinica Romero
• Herald Christian Health Center
• Kedren Community Health Center
• Los Angeles Christian Health Centers
• Los Angeles LGBT Center
• John’s Well Child and Family Center
• Universal Community Health Center
• Valley Community Healthcare
• Via Care Community Health Center
• White Memorial Community Health Center

THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 65 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529

For communities hit hardest by the pandemic, there’s no economic recovery without a healthy population.

While House Democrats draft a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package that could be the largest expansion of the social safety net in decades, Rep. Nanette Barragán and CCALAC’s Louise McCarthy write in Roll Call that the final bill should maintain the $10 billion for community health center capital funding already committed under the Energy and Commerce Committee’s markup language. Read the op-ed here.

THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 65 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, media@ccalac.org | (213) 201-6529

LOS ANGELES – June 17, 2021 – CCALAC partnered with California Health Care Foundation to launch a series of reports that examines the financial challenges California’s FQHCs faced during the pandemic, how health centers adapted, and what policy changes are needed to stabilize FQHCs. 

The first report, “Holding On: How California’s Health Centers Adapted Operations and Care for Patients During the Pandemic,” identifies the strategies FQHCs used to mitigate financial losses and continue to serve patients.

In the second report, “The Pandemic’s Financial Impact on California’s Community Health Centers: Largest Centers Suffer Significant Losses,” an evaluation of whether the size, number of sites, payer mix, service mix, or location may have created a differential financial impact on specific groups of centers reveals that the largest health centers experienced the biggest losses.

The final report “Risky Business: California Health Centers Weakened by the COVID-19 Pandemic Prepare for the Future” summarizes policy options that have the potential to improve FQHC stability, address health equity, and ensure access to a broader range of services in the long term.

A bonus report examines FQHCs’ operational and financial trends prior to 2020. While patient numbers grew, median health center financial performance weakened. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated the financial challenges health centers were already facing – underscoring the need for policy solutions to stabilize FQHCs so they can continue to play their vital role in providing care to Californians with low incomes.

Access the full collection of reports here. 

THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 64 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, (213) 201-6529

LOS ANGELES – May 14, 2021 – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom released his revised May budget proposal which outlines the governor’s plan for allocating California’s historic $76 billion surplus and $27 billion in federal COVID-19 relief.

COVID-19 revealed inadequacies in our public health systems and laid bare persistent health disparities. We are pleased to see the governor is proposing investments to expand access to care and improve health equity, especially continued funding for Health4All with the expansion of Medi-Cal to income eligible individuals ages 60 and over, regardless of immigration status, next Spring. We are also encouraged by additional investments in transforming the Medi-Cal program under CalAIM, continued efforts to address homelessness, enhanced funding for mental health and substance use disorder services, additional investments in strengthening the state’s health care workforce by building a more comprehensive state data system to inform policy recommendations, significant investments in early childhood education, and steps to expand access to broadband to help bridge the digital divide.

We appreciate that the administration’s Medi-Cal telehealth proposal continues to evolve to better reflect the needs of both patients and the safety net providers who serve them. We are encouraged to see developments with regard to telephonic (audio) visits; however, we continue to maintain that payment parity for such visits is essential while we work to address the barriers that prevent many patients from utilizing video modalities. We look forward to continued collaboration with the legislature and the administration to ensure equity across payers and delivery systems and to make certain health center patients are able to use both video and telephone modalities to access health care services.

California faces an extraordinary opportunity with this budget to lay a foundation to address the health, economic, and racial inequities that were exacerbated by the pandemic. As California recovers, we support the Governor in taking ambitious steps to improve critical services and programs—such as education, housing, nutrition and childcare—that we know are key to reducing disparities and improving the well-being of our communities. We look forward to working with the legislature and the administration to advance the priorities of our member clinics and the patients and families they serve.

THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 64 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, (213) 201-6529.

Health centers today received exciting news: the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced over $6 billion in funding to community health centers (CHCs) nationwide under the American Rescue Plan. 56 FQHC 330 grantee organizations in Los Angeles will receive more than $267 million in funding.

According to whitehouse.gov, the $6 billion investment into CHCs will expand COVID-19 vaccinations, testing, and treatment for vulnerable populations; deliver preventive and primary health care services to people at higher risk for COVID-19; and expand health centers’ operational capacity during the pandemic and beyond, including modifying and improving physical infrastructure and adding mobile units.

These one-time, two-year funds couldn’t come at a more critical time. Recent analysis by Capitol Link found that from April to December 2020, California’s health centers experienced $1.4 billion in lost revenue and COVID-related costs. The American Rescue Plan funds will be an essential bridge to help health centers through the pandemic.

HRSA will provide funding starting in April. LA community clinics are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, caring for the county’s most impacted communities. CHCs serve 1.7 million patients annually, 80% of whom are low income. Nearly 75,000 patients experience homelessness and 94% are publicly insured or uninsured. CCALAC applauds the Biden Administration for this vital investment into CHCs.

THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 64 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, (213) 201-6529.

CCALAC applauds President Biden for taking swift action to begin overturning public charge. We are encouraged by today’s signed Executive Order, which officially begins the process of reviewing and eventually eliminating the harmful and unjust public charge rule implemented by the previous administration.  

The public charge rule has created fear and reluctance for immigrants to access services, thus harming communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Immigrants, especially those serving as essential workers, must be able to access health care and other essential services to keep themselves, their families and their communities stay safe from COVID-19. During this unprecedented public health crisis, it is imperative to protect the health, safety, and well-being of communities hit hardest by the pandemic.  

The President’s swift action would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of coalition partners like the National Immigration Law Center, the Protecting Immigrant Families campaign, the California Immigrant Policy Center, and other immigrant rights advocates.  

CCALAC remains committed to working with our partners to combat the chilling effect of the public charge rule to ensure everyone is able to access the resources and services they need, during this pandemic and beyond.    

THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 64 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.    

Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, (213) 201-6529.

LOS ANGELES—JAN. 12, 2021—The Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC), in partnership with the Chin Family Institute for Nursing (CFIN) at Cal State LA, have launched the Family Nurse Practitioner Community Care Residency Program. Under the program, newly licensed family nurse practitioners (FNPs) will receive post-graduate training at community health centers across Los Angeles.

FNPs are educated to provide high quality, community-based primary care to patient populations across the life span with complex health care needs. FNPs operate at a higher level of autonomy, and do not require the supervision of a physician. With California experiencing a major shortage of primary care physicians, CCALAC partnered with Cal State LA to develop a pipeline program specifically designed for community health centers. It is only the second FNP program in the County.

The 8-month program provides intensive training and on-the-job experience to FNP residents, while supporting the needs of health centers and their patients. The inaugural program cohort of nine residents is training at five community health centers in Los Angeles: Chinatown Service Center, Clínica Romero, Kedren Community Health Center, Universal Community Health Center and Via Care Community Health Center. Simultaneously, residents will receive didactic education in areas including population-based health, quality improvement and telehealth from Cal State LA’s top-ranked nursing faculty.

“FNPs are essential to our community clinic model. Along with helping meet the demand for healthcare services for low-income families in East Los Angeles, our family nurse practitioners assess not only the physical aspects of patient care, but also the mental and psychosocial needs as well. This is especially important for our patients that often face poverty and violence in addition to poor health. Via Care is extremely grateful and proud to be a part of this FNP community care residency program with CCALAC,” said Deborah Villar, CEO of Via Care Community Health Center.

“The Chin Family Institute for Nursing at Cal State LA is proud to be teaming with CCALAC to offer this post-graduate FNP residency to nine highly qualified newly licensed and nationally certified FNPs,” said Lorie H. Judson, Executive Director of Cal State LA’s CFIN. “This program will serve to hone and refine the skills these residents learned while in their respective graduate programs, preparing them to offer the best health care to the often underserved population. This endeavor exemplifies the purpose and mission of the Chin Family Institute for Nursing, which is to provide post graduate nursing education with an emphasis on health care for the underserved.”

Residents are recent graduates of Columbia University School of Nursing, North Park University in Chicago, Azusa Pacific University, Sonoma State, Johns Hopkins University, UCLA, UC San Francisco School of Nursing and Cal State LA. All are licensed FNPs who hold master’s or doctorate degrees in nursing and additional certification beyond a regular nursing degree. All wish to work with underserved populations.

“I want to be a family nurse practitioner who offers underserved communities the culturally competent care they need,” said Lisa Tran, a resident at Chinatown Service Center. “I am excited to learn from experienced clinicians who provide care and education at a community health clinic that serves the diverse Los Angeles County population. I want to be a provider that creates a safe space for marginalized communities to feel empowered to become an equal partner in their own care, something I wish was conveyed to my family.”

Once the program is complete in August, clinics may extend an employment offer to residents. “This is a win-win situation—we set new FNPs up for success and create a pipeline of qualified primary care providers within the community health center setting,” said CCALAC President and CEO Louise McCarthy.

The FNP Community Care Residency Program is generously supported by Kaiser Permanente and the California Area Health Education Center.

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About the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County

The Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 64 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. The majority of these patients live below the poverty line. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.

About the Chin Family Institute for Nursing at Cal State LA

California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 26,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.

The Chin Family Institute for Nursing at Cal State LA was created as a result of a philanthropic gift by Drs. Patricia and William Chin in 2016. Dr. Patricia Chin was a professor and director of the now named Patricia A. Chin School of Nursing. The mission of the Chin Family Institute for Nursing focuses on the advancement of nursing education, advocacy, leadership, and action. The Institute serves as a center for nursing excellence with an emphasis on caring for diverse, underserved urban populations. For more information, visit www.CalStateLA.edu.

Media Contact

Taryn Burks, Communications Specialist
Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County
e: tburks@ccalac.org | t: (213) 201-6529

July 30, 2020 — CCALAC cheers this week’s court ruling that will ensure immigrant communities access to critical services without fear of immigration consequences during the COVID-19 crisis. On Wednesday, the District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a temporary injunction blocking the Department of Homeland Security’s public charge rule for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency declaration. 

The public charge rule has created fear and reluctance for immigrants to access services, thus harming communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Immigrants, especially those serving as essential workers, must be able to access health care and other essential services to keep themselves, their families and their communities safe from COVID-19.   

The court’s ruling would not have happened without the tireless efforts of the immigrant rights attorneys who fight for our immigrant communities. We applaud the court’s decision and join our members, partners, friends and neighbors in celebrating this critical win that will help ensure immigrant communities remain safe and healthy during this public health crisis.   

The public charge rule will be blocked as long as the injunction remains in place. CCALAC remains committed to working with our partners to fight the public charge regulations and ensure everyone is able to access the resources and services they need, during this pandemic and beyond.   

THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 64 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.   

Contact: Joanne Preece, MPH – Director of Government & External Affairs, (213) 201-6515.