LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Building Healthy Communities: Los Angeles Region announced today the successful enrollment of nearly 100 families into no-cost and low-cost health coverage programs including, Medi-Cal and the state’s children health insurance program Healthy Families.
“We are proud of the resources we were able to provide to so many families in just one day,” said Charles Fields, Los Angeles Region Program Manager for The California Endowment. “Our successes today illustrate the importance of partnerships within a community. Only by working together can we really make a difference in the health of our children.”
The health care enrollment events marked the launch of a series of more than 20 health insurance enrollment fairs starting today and continuing through April 18 in collaboration with Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County in observation of the one-year anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This is the first time the Building Healthy Communities of Long Beach, Boyle Heights and South Los Angeles have joined together in a regional partnership.
Today’s enrollment fairs and the month long series of enrollment events are helping Californians like Los Angeles resident Patty Trujillo.
Trujillo has three children under the age of 13 and is unemployed, as is her husband. Fortunately, the family discovered they were eligible for and enrolled in Medi-Cal. For Trujillo, having her family properly covered by Medi-Cal means that if one of her children is in need of emergency services, they will receive the critical medical support necessary, while not incurring exorbitant medical bills, especially during emergency services. Furthermore, having health coverage means she can access preventive care to help keep her family healthy.
“As a parent, I understand the importance of providing health care for our children,” said Trujillo who was expecting at the time her family lost medical coverage. “But I also understand how complicated it can be, which I why I am so thankful that there are organizations willing to help families like mine receive the coverage and resources available to us.”
“We anticipate that many more families will become eligible for health care in 2014,” said Barbara Siegel of Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County. “Which is why we are using the lessons we learn from events like these to inform policy makers of the successes, as well as the barriers, these families are facing throughout the process.”
About Building Healthy Communities
Building Healthy Communities is a 10-year, $1 billion plan of The California Endowment. In connection with staff-led, statewide policy initiatives, 14 communities, including South Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and Long Beach, are taking action to make where they live healthier. They’re doing this by improving employment opportunities, education, housing, neighborhood safety, unhealthy environmental conditions, access to healthy food and more. The goal: to create places where children are healthy, safe and ready to learn. Ultimately, we’re aiming at nothing less than a transformation in the way all of us think about and support health for all Californians. For more information, please visit www.calendow.org/healthycommunities/
About The California Endowment
The California Endowment, a private, statewide health foundation, was established in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians. Headquartered in downtown Los Angeles, The Endowment has regional offices in San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno and San Diego, with program staff working throughout the state. From 2010-2020, The Endowment will focus the majority of its resources on its 10-year strategic plan Building Healthy Communities. For more information, visit The Endowment’s Web site at www.calendow.org.
About Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA), a private, non-profit law firm, envisions a day when communities in Los Angeles are strong enough to decide their own destiny; where access to justice is not predicated on social economic status; and everyone has income security, adequate housing, quality education, healthcare and the opportunity to improve their own lives. Please visit www.nls-la.org for more information.
CONTACT:
The California Endowment
Jeff Okey, 213-928-8622
[email protected]
KEYWORDS: United States North America California
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Education Primary/Secondary Health Public Policy/Government State/Local Philanthropy Professional Services Children Parenting Insurance Consumer Family Foundation General Health Managed Care
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