Our Focus on Equity: Communities of Color in Post-ACA California convening series continued today in Los Angeles, and we continued to hear more great discussion about behavioral health integration, Health for All efforts to expand health coverage regardless of immigration status, and ways to improve quality of care while considering equity measures.
The day began with a great presentation by Felicia Jones of Healthy African American Families and Dr. Michael Ong from UCLA about Community Partners in Care (CPIC). Jones and Ong described how CPIC was a partnership between community and academic partners to develop strategies to reduce the burden of depression in vulnerable communities, particularly South Los Angeles and Hollywood/Metro Los Angeles.
Felicia Jones and Dr Michael Ong discuss behavioral health integration http://t.co/UD7nHqacCP
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) April 27, 2015
Dozens of partners work on Community Partners in Care program for behavioral health integration http://t.co/2ODuYOT7G9
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) April 27, 2015
Community and academic partners working together to create plan to treat depression http://t.co/WS27beFayX
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) April 27, 2015
They also had an interesting map showing one homeless client’s journey to access services and how in order to receive treatment he had to travel hours each way.
One #homeless person's daily journey to access services in #LA. Via Dr Ong @UCLAHealth #mhjustice pic.twitter.com/ORBQl0za7z
— Healthy City (@HealthyCityCA) April 27, 2015
Jones and Ong finished by pointing to the program’s results.
Jones and Ong: community engagement model led to more physical activity and reduced risk of homelessness #FocusOnEquity
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) April 27, 2015
Jones and Ong: Though program only six months, positive impacts last longer http://t.co/xTKNEnvn9x #FocusOnEquity
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) April 27, 2015
Like in Fresno last Thursday, we also heard from California Immigrant Policy Center’s Betsy Estudillo on Health for All and SEIU’s Michelle Cabrera on considering equity while improving health care quality.
Estudillo: Social media action coming up around Mother's Day for #Health4All about hlth needs of undoc mothers. Be on lookout @calimmigrant
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) April 27, 2015
Great point unintended consequence. Small providers of color out of business. Can't comply. #EHR #ACA @CPEHN pic.twitter.com/G2a6s2nDyh
— NAPAFASA (@NAPAFASA) April 27, 2015
And after the presentations, we closed with some great small group discussions on the topics we heard about earlier in the day.
Great group discussions about #Health4All "health is important in all communities. Everyone should have access." http://t.co/foHkgEdFlc
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) April 27, 2015
We have one more convening left, tomorrow in San Diego. If you’ll be in the area, you can register on site.