Californians have a number of reasons to celebrate these days, particularly the victory of Health4All Kids. But even with this accomplishment, there is still work to be done to make sure that Health4All becomes a reality.
In the 1960’s, President Lyndon Johnson kicked off the original Health For All efforts with the War on Poverty. It gave us Medicare, Medicaid, and helped us establish a nation-wide network of community clinics and health centers, whose mission was to provide care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.
Despite the odds, obstacles and budget cuts, these determined non-profit health centers endured, and in fact, they grew. Passionately dedicated to their mission, they built a system of health care one patient and one community at a time.
Today, community clinics and health centers, referred to as CaliforniaHealth+, operate more than 1,100 health centers and serve more than 5.6 million patients each year – that’s 1 in 7 Californians! They live at the heart of our communities and provide care in a way that respects the culture, tradition, and values of those they serve.
The California Endowment has been honored to partner with CaliforniaHealth+ on the “Get Covered” campaign since 2013. Together we have helped enroll hundreds of thousands of people into coverage and provide them with the health care they need – all under one roof. They have also played a huge role in helping these Californians renew their coverage and continue to assist in Medi-Cal renewals on a daily basis.
We are proud to partner with CaliforniaHealth+ and are pleased to be a part of their long-standing tradition of providing quality care to everyone. This week, we are pleased to join them in celebrating that tradition with National Health Center Week. They are, and have been, an integral member of our community for decades, and we look forward to working with them as we truly realize Health For All.
If you are interested in attending a celebratory event at a health center in your community, please click here. If you would like to locate a community health center near you for care, please click here. For more on Health4All efforts in California, please visit our website.