Health Equity System Transformation (HEST) Project

Despite gains in the number of Californians enrolled into health care coverage, disparities in health outcomes for communities of color are persistent. Over the past year, CPEHN conducted a number of focus groups across the state with the goal to engage diverse stakeholders including communities of color, LGBTQ+, and persons with disabilities, in meaningful discussions regarding their experiences accessing health care in order to ensure more equitable health outcomes. Our focus group findings and community stories highlight stark disparities and fundamental barriers in accessing care.

Fact Sheets:

• American Indian and Alaska Native Experiences Accessing Health Care Fact Sheet
• African American Experiences Accessing Health Care
• LGBTQ+ Experiences Accessing Health Care
• Asian American and Pacific Islander Experiences Accessing Health Care
• Latinx Experiences Accessing Health Care
• People with Disabilities’ Experiences Accessing Health Care

We are pleased to share several new mini-briefs highlighting CPEHN’s recommendations for ways to advance health equity as part of California’s “Medi-Cal Healthier California for All” (MHCFA) framework These briefs are in response to several MHCFA proposals discussed as part of the Population Health, Enhanced Care Management/In Lieu of Services and Behavioral Health Integration work groups:

• Improving Collection, Reporting, and Utilization of Beneficiary Demographic Data
• Oversight and Accountability of Managed Care Plans
• Integrating Mental Health Services Based on Community-Defined Evidence
• Integrating Oral and Physical Health
• Strengthening Primary Care