Our advocacy work covers the broad span of local, State, and Federal issues that affect our members and consumers of health care in Los Angeles County. Below are some useful resources for advocacy at all levels of government.
Immigration Resources
Posted: October 16, 2018
Public Charge Resources
On October 10, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) related to public charge was published in the Federal Register, opening a 60 day public comment period. The proposed rule would make changes to public charge policies that govern how use of public benefits may affect individuals’ applying to adjust immigration status to Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR). The public charge test looks at all of a person’s circumstances, not just their use of benefits programs, in determining whether they are likely to become a public charge in the future. Under current policy, officials may consider whether an applicant relies on, or is likely to rely on, public cash assistance or government funded long-term institutional care. Current policy does not allow consideration of the use of non-cash benefits, such as health and nutrition programs. Under the draft proposed policy, previously excluded health and nutrition programs, such as Medi-Cal and CalFresh, could be considered (among other changes).
As of today, current public charge policy remains in place for immigrants residing in the U.S.
Please refer to CCALAC’s Advocacy Actions page for instructions on submitting public comment on the rule.
Resources for Health Centers (the following resources may be especially useful for health centers):
- CCALAC FAQ on Public Charge Proposed Rule (last updated 10.16.2018)
- Protecting Immigrant Families – Quick Analysis of Rule Language (updated regularly)
- Moms Rising – Comprehensive FAQ on Public Charge for Immigrant Families
- Public Charge Fact Sheet (CLASP, 2 pages, English & Spanish, Color & B&W, updated Sept. 2018)
- Talking About Public Charge with Immigrants and Families (NILC, updated September 25, 3 pages)
- Overview of Public Charge (ILRC, 6 pages, August 2018)
- Access to Health Care, Food, and Other Public Programs for Immigrant Families (NILC, April 2018, 6 pages)
- Privacy Protections in Selected Federal Benefit Programs (NILC, Feb. 2018, 9 pages)
- USCIS: Public Charge Fact Sheet (Last updated Sept. 25, 2018)
More Public Charges Resources (links to larger collections of resources):
- Protecting Immigrant Families (PIF) Campaign Resources
- PIF Campaign Public Toolkit (google drive folder)
- LA County Office of Immigrant Affairs
- NILC Resources on Public Charge
PIF Campaign Public Charge 101 Webinar (popular recurring educational webinar):
- Public Charge 101 Webinar (Register Now for October 17 or 31, 10:00am -11:00am)
Legal Resources:
- ImmigrationLawHelp.org
- Ready California Legal Services Directory
- LA County Office of Immigrant Affairs – Legal Resources
- CA Dept. of Social Services Immigration Services Contractors
Know Your Rights Resources
- ACLU: We Have Rights videos (multiple videos, all in multiple languages)
- ACLU Know Your Rights Resources
- NILC: Immigration Enforcement at Health Care Facilities
- NILC: Know Your Rights: Everyone Has Certain Basic Rights, No Matter Who Is President (multiple languages)
- NILC: Privacy Protections in Selected Federal Benefits Programs (updated Feb. 2018)
- NILC: Protecting Patients’ Access to Health Care WEBINAR Slides
- NILC Resources: When Encountering Law Enforcement
- NILC Resources: Immigration Enforcement (includes Rights Card / Tarjeta de Derechos)
- CHIRLA Know Your Rights Toolkit
- MALDEF Immigrants Rights Under a Trump Presidency
- MALDEF Immigrants’ Rights Under a Trump Presidency – SPANISH
- NILC Protecting Access to Healthcare for Immigrants PPT (December 12, 2016)
- Clínica Romero Know Your Rights Brochure – SPANISH (featured at March 30, 2018 Policy Café)
- Clínica Romero Patient Rights and Protection Brochure (featured at March 30, 2018 Policy Café)
- Clínica Romero Immigration Workshop Presentation
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
On Sept. 5, 2017, the Trump administration announced it is terminating the DACA program. Congress has been unable to reach a solution protecting DACA recipients and other eligible individuals. Due to a court order, USCIS is currently accepting DACA renewal applications (at present time USCIS is not accepting DACA applications from people who have not applied for DACA previously). Employment authorization documents (EAD) remain valid until the expiration date.
- NILC’s DACA Litigation Timeline
- DACA Updates and Links to Resources from the National Immigration Law Center (NILC)
- USCIS Jan. 13 Announcement Regarding DACA Renewals (includes who can renew, renewal instructions)
- NILC DACA Renewal Applications: What You Need to Know (English & Spanish)
- LA County Office of Immigrant Affairs, DACA Updates
- CIPC DACA Guide February 2018 (featured on March 30, 2018 Policy Café)
“Sensitive Locations” Guidance and Resources
- ICE Memo Re Sensitive Locations
- ICE Supplemental Guidance Re Sensitive Locations
- ICE Clarification of Existing Practices Related to Certain Health Care Information
- NILC & CLASP, Dept. of Homeland Security’s “Sensitive” Locations Policies
CPCA Resources and Immigration Sample Policies & Procedures
LA County
City of Los Angeles
Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs
Find an Immigration Attorney
Referrals for people seeking immigration-related counseling can be directed to One California and Ready California providers at:
https://ready-california.org/legal-service-directory/
Immigration attorneys must have a law license, verify it here.
Behavioral Health Toolkit
Posted: May 23, 2018
This toolkit aims to support LA County organizations in establishing meaningful and sustainable relationships to jointly serve LA County residents.
Please contact Becky Lee at blee@ccalac.org with any questions.
| Tool Kit | Resource (Click on the links below) |
| Maps
Tools to help locate medical, mental health, and substance use disorder treatment services. |
Interactive/ Searchable Health Providers Map |
| Find a Clinic | Find a Clinic tool |
| LA County Department of Mental Health (DMH) Referral Pathways | DMH website
ACCESS Hotline: 1-800-854-7771 |
| DMH Health Coalition Meetings | Health Neighborhood information and meetings |
| LA County Department of Public Health Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (DPH-SAPC) Referral Pathways
|
DPH-SAPC website
Service & Bed Availability Tool (SBAT) Substance Abuse Service Helpline (SASH): 1-844-804-7500 |
| Social Services Directories
|
211 LA County
211 LA is the central source for providing information and referrals for all health and human services in LA County. One Degree makes it easy to find food, housing, job training, after-school programs, and much more. |
| Model Agreements
MOU templates to help facilitate collaborative relationships between various providers. Disclaimer: The information presented does not constitute legal advice. |
PCP and DMH MOU template |
| Consent Forms | DMH:
DMH Authorization For Use Or Disclosure Of Protected Health Information DPH-SAPC: DPH-SAPC Release of Information- In SAPC SUD Provider Network DPH-SAPC Release of Information- Outside SAPC SUD Provider Network |
| Contracting Guide
Information for organizations who want to contract with DMH, DPH-SAPC, and DHS. |
DMH Master Agreement List |
| Warm Hand Off Guides
Policies and procedures samples. |
Valley Community Healthcare:
St. John’s Well Child and Family Center policies and procedures |
| Case Conferencing Guides | Case conferencing for internal staff |
| Telemedicine Guides | Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc.: |
| Data Sharing Guide | State of California Office of Health Information Integrity: State Health Information Guidance on Sharing BH Information in CA |
| Trainings
Trainings on behavioral health integration. |
Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County Training Center
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health Training and Workforce Development UC Davis/UC Irvine Train New Trainers Primary Care Psychiatry Fellowship |
| Behavioral Health Toolkits | Integrated Behavioral Health Partners |
Updated 6/14/2018
District Profiles
Posted: April 2, 2018
The following profiles give a snap-shot of the clinics and the patients they serve at the local, State, and Federal district levels. These profiles reflect data from the Office of State Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). Each district profile includes patient information, payer information, and a map. (more…)
2017 NACHC Policy & Issues Materials
Posted: January 12, 2018
- 2015 County Profile
- District Profiles
- Checklist for Community Health
- Talking Points – NACHC P&I 2017
- Capital Link “Statewide Impact of Health Centers “
- FY 2018 Bilirakas-Green “Dear Colleague Letter”
- National Association of Community Health Centers materials
- California Primary Care Association/CaliforniaHealth+ Advocates materials
Whole Person Care Overview
Posted: December 21, 2016
WPC Overview Slides by Clemens Hong, MD, MPH
Relationship Between Patient Panel Characteristics and Primary Care Physician Clinical Performance Rankings (February 7, 2011)
Post-Election Advocacy Resources
Posted: December 13, 2016
The following is a collection of advocacy resources that can be used when speaking to patients, staff, elected officials, and other external stakeholders.
Please be sure to check for updates throughout the year.
Resources for a Successful Voter Registration Campaign
Posted: August 16, 2016
In Los Angeles County, community health centers are in a unique position to increase voter registration and get out the vote because of the their deep ties to the community.
There are many things to consider when planning a voter registration and voter engagement campaign. Since community health centers are 501(c)3s and health care providers, there are certain legal requirements they must adhere to comply with their tax exempt status and to be considerate to their patients privacy.
(more…)
Next Steps: SB 75
Posted: June 16, 2016
Pursuant to Senate Bill (SB) 75, individuals under age 19, up to 266 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), who do not have, or are unable to establish, satisfactory immigration status, are now eligible for full scope Medi-Cal benefits. The necessary system updates in CalHEERS and the State Automated Welfare Systems (SAWS) were completed on time and the official implementation of SB 75 began as scheduled on May 16. In LA County the Department of Public and Social Services (DPSS) transitioned children from restricted scope to full scope in a series of batch transactions the week of May 16. Cases that did not transition successfully will be verified manually by DPSS staff. DPSS aims to complete the manual transition of remaining cases by the end of June. Medi-Cal effective date will be May 1 for all of these children, regardless of whether they transitioned in May or June.
CCALAC has compiled resources that enrollment staff and families can use to help answer questions about this transition. (more…)
SB 75 Training Presentation
Posted: April 7, 2016
Pursuant to Senate Bill (SB) 75, Medi-Cal eligible individuals under age 19, up to 266 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), who do not have, or are unable to establish, satisfactory immigration status, will be provided with full scope Medi-Cal benefits starting no sooner than May 1, 2016. CCALAC provided the Outreach, Enrollment and Retention Peer Network with a slide deck to assist with training other clinic staff on SB 75 implementation. Members are free to use and/or modify the slides as they see fit. The presentation will be updated if and when information changes or as additional information becomes available.
SB 75 Health4All Kids Update PowerPoint (Current as of May 6, 2016)
My Health LA Promotional Materials
Posted: March 15, 2016
CCALAC and Fenton Communications have worked on communication materials clinics and external partners can use to help address barriers that may be preventing My Health LA participants from enrolling into and staying in the program. CCALAC and Fenton worked with CCALAC Member clinic staff and external stakeholders to craft a message and create materials clinics and external stakeholders will be able to use to address these barriers. (more…)
Updated Family PACT Client Eligibility Determination
Posted: November 12, 2015
This week’s featured resource is the recently updated Family PACT Client Eligibility Determination Policy and eligibility forms!
The October Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment (Family PACT) update bulletin was posted to the Medi-Cal website on October 16, and includes important updates to the Client Eligibility Determination Policy.
Effective November 1, 2015, the Family PACT program’s eligibility determination policy has been updated to reflect the use of Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) counting rules for eligibility determination in order to comply with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and to clarify policy regarding other health coverage and confidentiality.
The Client Eligibility Certification (CEC) form (DHCS 4461) and the Retroactive Eligibility Certification (REC) form (DHCS 4001), have been updated to reflect these changes, effective November 1. The forms can be found, in English and Spanish, on the Family PACT website. Please note that the new language on the forms refers to taxable household income and claimed dependents, which may be more confusing for some patients than the old forms.
Dispensaries at Community Clinics: Ensuring Patient-Centered Medication Access
Posted: July 16, 2015
While community clinics are proponents of and continue to pave the way in terms of transforming care delivery, they currently operate a credible, patient-intuitive dispensary model that works for all their patients. Dispensaries associated with safety-net clinics play a critical role in making medications accessible for underserved patients, especially those enrolled in the My Health LA (MHLA) program.
Primary Care Funding Cliff
Posted: March 10, 2015
In the fall of 2015, Health Centers faced a Primary Care Funding Cliff. The Health Centers Fund, which makes up more than half of all funding for the Health Centers Program, was slated to expire unless action was taken by members of Congress. Without the Health Centers Fund, health centers would see up to 70 percent in reductions in grant funding, forcing reduction or elimination of health care services and access in some of the nation’s most vulnerable communities. In LA County, health centers would lose an estimated $262,360,943 without this critical federal funding.
Thanks to the efforts of health center advocates in California and across the nation, in April 2015, Congress passed H.R. 2, securing two additional years of funding for The Health Centers Program, through fall of 2017.
(more…)
Social Media as An Advocacy Tool
Posted: February 27, 2015
Why has social media become so important to an organization’s advocacy strategy? The answer lies not in the immense reach of social networks, or in the fact that social is the top internet activity, but in the simple fact that social media humanizes an issue.
Find Your Representative
Posted: January 16, 2015
Enter your zip code to find your State and Federal Representatives
Issue Briefs
Posted: January 16, 2015
CCALAC periodically releases issue briefs on various important topics to share with public officials and community partners. The first briefs released in March 2011 discussed the importance and value of investing in indigent care in LA’s community clinics and health centers.
- Vision: 2020: Clinics Turn Best Practices Into Action to Meet Healthy People 2020 Goals, March 2013
- Uncharted Territory: Mapping the Unmet Needs of LA’s Underserved, March 2012
- Eclipsed by Need: The Need to Care for LA’s Indigent Will Remain, Even After Reform, March 2011, Revised June 2011
- Value Added: Investments in Care for LA’s Indigent Reap Rewards and Results, March 2011, Revised June 2011
- Quality Matters: Clinics Improve Health Outcomes with High-Quality, Patient-Centered Care, March 2011