Friday, February 27, 2004

HEALTH ACCESS CALIFORNIA ALERT
Friday, February 26th, 2004

* ELECTION TUESDAY: Vote YES on Prop 56 on March 2nd; Actions Needed
* HEALTH CARE STRIKE: Grocery Workers Reach Tentative Settlement
* BUDGET HEARINGS AND ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED: New Calendar of Events


VOTE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 2ND: YES ON PROPOSITION 56!
* Volunteers still needed!

Only a few days to go to pass Proposition 56: the Budget Accountability Act,
on ballot on Tuesday, March 2nd. The proposition would help prevent late and
irresponsible budgets that have led us to the current budget crisis, and has
threatened our health care system we all rely on. It looks like this may be
a low-turnout election, and so everything done to mobilize voters to vote
(and to vote YES on 56) is of special importance.

There will be phone banking and precinct walking this weekend, Monday, and
"get out the vote" work on Tuesday. Feel free to contact these location for
volunteering:
LOS ANGELES (Los Angeles): Call Ericka Smith, 213-368-8609
CONTA COSTA (Martinez, Pittsburg): Call 925-261-0225 or 925-228-0161
MONTEREY BAY (Castroville, Monterey): Call Steve Gonzales 831-840-5947
SANTA CRUZ (Santa Cruz, Watsonville): Call Lyndsay Butler 831-840-4373
SAN FRANCISCO (San Francisco): Call John Kosinski at 415-503-5747
SANTA CLARA (San Jose): Call 408-266-3790
SACRAMENTO (Sacramento): Call Martha Phillips 916-442-3838 or 916-927-9772
ALAMEDA (Oakland): Call 510-869-2253
(Fremont): Call 510-744-4340
(Hayward): Call 510-632-4242
Other Northern California locations: Tai Milder, 207-650-0710
Other Southern California locations: Tracy Zeluff 213-738-8408


GROCERY WORKERS GET TENTATIVE SETTLEMENT ON HEALTH BENEFITS
* Boycott Suspended; Actions Planned for Northern California Negotiations

Grocery store workers in Southern California will be also be voting this
weekend, on the compromise settlement reached between Safeway and other
southern California grocery stores, and the United Food & Commerical Workers
(UFCW) union. The key issue during a 137-day strike was the grocery stores'
demand to significantly scale back health care benefits. As of this writing,
the details of the settlement have not been made public.

As UFCW members decide on the tentative settlement, the California Labor
Federation has announced that it will suspend the start of its Boycott
Safeway campaign, which was planned with a range of senior, religious, and
other community organizations, including Health Access California.

However, even if the southern California grocery workers vote to approve the
settlement, the fight is not over. Northern California grocery workers are
gearing up for their own contract fights, largely over health care, for
later this year. Actions are already being planned, including action of UFCW
workers for March 14th in San Francisco. Health care advocates interested in
supporting this work should contact Susan Sachen of the California Labor
Federation at 510-663-4010, ssachen@calaborfed.org.

The grocery workers' strike points to a disturbing trend of large employers
seeking to either scale back health benefits or drop coverage altogether.
Such a shift of only a handful of large employers is having a ripple effect,
as other competing employers feel pressure to do the same. Hundreds of
thousands of workers and their families find themselves uninsured, placing a
burden on public insurance programs and already-fragile health care system.
The strike illustrates the need to protect employer-based coverage, as will
be debated with the November referenum on SB 2.


NEW CALENDAR OF EVENTS; BUDGET HEARINGS AND ACTIVITY TO HEAT UP
* March and April the time to make case on budget cuts.

ATTACHED is a updated Calendar of events and activities for budget and
health advocates.

After the election on Tuesday, advocates will be moving into a new phase in
the budget process. In March and April, legislative budget subcommittees
will be holding regular hearings on the specifics of the budget, overseeing
departments, reviewing each proposed cut, and taking testimony on the
impacts of those cuts. Advocacy groups are scheduling lobbying days, town
halls, and press actions between now and the announcement of the May
Revision of the budget in mid-May.

HEARING ON HEALTH CUTS: The next hearing of interest in on MONDAY, MARCH
8th, by the Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health, chaired by Senator Wes
Chesbro, at 1:30pm at the Capitol, Sacramento. Onm the agenda are many of
the health care cuts, including those to Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and
other public health programs. There will be an opportunity to testify.

NEW RESOURCES: The California Budget Project has just produced "budget
backgrounders" on both Medi-Cal and Healthy Families, which are useful
resources in preparation for that hearing. Get them at http://www.cbp.org.

--
Anthony E. Wright
Executive Director
Health Access
1127 11th St., #234, Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: 916-442-2308, Fx: 916-497-0921
awright@health-access.org

Labels: Updates

posted by Anthony Wright | Permalink | 7:41 PM


 

Saturday, February 21, 2004

HEALTH ACCESS ALERT
Saturday, February 21st, 2004


WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PASS REAL BUDGET REFORM NOW?
* Vote YES on Proposition 56!
* Summary of Provisions
* Why Health Care Consumers & Advocates Should Support Prop 56
* Actions Needed to Help Pass the Budget Accountability Act on March 2nd!
* Letters to the Editor
* Phone Banking and Precinct Walking
* Tell Your Friends, Family, and Neighbors


As a way to encourage timely and responsible budgets, Health Access
California, and many other health advocacy organizations have joined with
the League of Women Voters, AARP, California State PTA, California Council
of Churches, and over 100 other organizations in support of Proposition 56.


SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS

Proposition 56 (THE BUDGET ACCOUNTABILITY ACT) will:

• HOLD LEGISLATORS ACCOUNTABLE
Legislators won’t get paid their salary, per diem expense and car allowance
for each day the budget isn’t passed – if they don’t do their job, they won’
t be paid. The Legislature hasn’t met their constitutional deadline since
1986!

• FORCE LEGISLATIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BUDGET
Requires the Legislature to stay in session–-until they pass the budget.
Passing a responsible budget on time is the Legislature’s most important
job.

• REFORM THE BUDGET PROCESS AND ENDS GRIDLOCK
Changes the vote required to adopt the state budget and related tax
legislation from 2/3 to 55%. Currently, Rhode Island and Arkansas are the
only other states to routinely require a vote of 2/3 or more to pass a
budget and the federal budget is passed by just a simple majority. The 55%
required by Prop 56 will require broad approval consensus and will help
break the gridlock we face today.

• GIVE VOTERS THE FACTS THEY NEED ON THE BUDGET
Gives voters better access to their legislators’ votes on the budget and
taxes. Prop 56 requires the official ballot handbook to disclose how tax
dollars are spent and if taxes are raised along with a website where voters
can find out how their legislators voted on the budget and tax bills.

• REQUIRE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
To curb deficit spending, Prop 56 requires the Legislature to set aside a
mandatory reserve fund of at least 5%, so that extreme budget cuts and tax
increases will be less likely in a weak economy.

• MAINTAIN ALL OF PROP 13’S PROPERTY TAX PROTECTIONS


WHY SHOULD HEALTH ADVOCATES SUPPORT PROPOSITION 56?

Health Access California, the statewide health care consumer advocacy
coalition, is one of several dozen organizations that strongly support this
reform of budget process. Why are health advocates making the passage of the
Budget Accountability Act a high priority?

* LATE BUDGETS HURT REAL PEOPLE: When the budget is late, many health care
providers don’t get paid, from community clinics to independent living
centers. Seniors, people with disabilities, and families that rely on these
providers face the uncertainty of having services suspended and cut off. In
the extreme, some providers, many of which are small nonprofits that depend
on regular revenue streams, face being shut down. Proposition 56 would allow
the legislators to understand the urgent need for timely passage of the
budget, and would force them to focus on that goal.

* DECISIONS DELAYED MEANS CRUELER CUTS: The proposed health care cuts in the
current budget crisis are devastating: steep cuts to community clinics and
hospitals, hundreds of thousands denied basic health coverage, and millions
more losing access to key services. The current legislative gridlock
prevented early action a year or two ago, and has made the potential
solution even more severe. With Proposition 56, if legislators make budget
decisions that impact our health care, they will be more accountable for
those decisions.

* HEALTH NEEDS GROW AT THE SAME TIME THE BUDGET SHRINKS: Economic recessions
shrink the budget as well as cause California families to rely more on
public sources of health care. The number of uninsured families increases,
causing greater enrollment in Medi-Cal and Healthy Families and greater use
of community clinics and hospitals. Without a “rainy day” fund, we will
continue to seek cuts to the health care system at exactly the time when it
is needed most.


WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SUPPORT PROPOSITION 56?

With a week-and-a-half to go, supporters of the Budget Accountability Act
need to be active to get their friends, family, and neighbors to vote YES on
Prop 56! Here are three suggestions. More are at http://www.yeson56.org.

* LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
* WRITE YOUR OWN LETTER: There's still time to submit a quick letter to
your local newspaper in support of Proposition 56. Use the points above, or
make your own, to indicate why you support the Budget Accountability Act.
You can respond to an article in the paper about the budget, or just start
by saying "I am sick and tired of late and irresponsible state budgets, I
support Proposition 56...." PLEASE WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR BEFORE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH. The letters to the editor page is often the
most-read part of the newspaper.
* GET OTHERS TO WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

* PHONE BANKING AND PRECINCT WALKING:
PRECINCT WALKING: Have a weekend day to help out, and take a nice stroll in
your area? Precinct-walking typically takes place on Saturdays and in some
cases Sundays, and is a fun way to get out and about and distribute
information about Proposition 56.
PHONE BANKS: Organizations around the state are hosting phone banks, and
welcome anybody that wants to join them! Groups typically have phone banks
going on in the early evenings (from 5:30pm or 6pm until 8pm or 9pm) on
Monday through Thursday, although some locations have a couple of nights or
even include Sunday.
GET OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE: Help get your organization's members to
participate.

FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THESE LOCATIONS FOR PHONE BANKING AND PRECINCT
WALKING:
LOS ANGELES (Los Angeles): Call Ericka Smith, 213-368-8609
CONTA COSTA (Martinez, Pittsburg): Call 925-261-0225 or 925-228-0161
MONTEREY BAY (Castroville, Monterey): Call Steve Gonzales 831-840-5947
SANTA CRUZ (Santa Cruz, Watsonville): Call Lyndsay Butler 831-840-4373
SAN FRANCISCO (San Francisco): Call John Kosinski at 415-503-5747
SANTA CLARA (San Jose): Call 408-266-3790
SACRAMENTO (Sacramento): Call Martha Phillips 916-442-3838 or 916-927-9772
ALAMEDA (Oakland): Call 510-869-2253
(Fremont): Call 510-744-4340
(Hayward): Call 510-632-4242

Other Northern California locations: Tai Milder, 207-650-0710
Other Southern California locations: Tracy Zeluff 213-738-8408


TELL YOUR FRIENDS:
* HAVE YOUR ORGANIZATION SEND OUT INFORMATIONAL MATERIAL ON PROPOSITION 56
to its members.
* TELL YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND NEIGHBORS about why passing Proposition 56
is so important.
* SEND A QUICK E-MAIL TO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES to let them know you are
planning to vote for Proposition 56. You can include this E-mail alert, or
link to the campaign website, at http://www.yeson56.org.

--
Anthony E. Wright
Executive Director
Health Access California
1127 11th St., #234, Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: 916-442-2308, Fx: 916-497-0921
awright@health-access.org

Labels: Updates

posted by Anthony Wright | Permalink | 6:49 PM


 

Friday, February 20, 2004

HEALTH AND BUDGET ADVOCACY CALENDAR
Last Updated Friday, February 20th, 2004

ATTACHED and BELOW is a calendar of public events of interest to California
advocates for the uninsured. The calendar will be updated on a regular
basis. To place something on this calendar, please e-mail the specifics to
Health Access (information below).

For more information on any event, contact the lead organization (in
parentheses). Given the activity in this area, this is not meant as a
comprehensive list, but a way for organizations to announce public events to
a broader audience, and a guide for organizations seeking to schedule their
own activities.

FEBRUARY

Sat. Feb. 21st:
o Health Care For All Meeting: “Winning Health Care for All in 2004: Many
Opportunities for Universal Health Care” Speaker: Don Bechler, Cahir, Health
Care for All, San Francisco. Come with your own ideas and discuss a plethora
of projects: SB921 (Kuehl) and how to get local legislators to co-sponsor
the bill SB921 (Kuehl) and how to build clinician support for the bill.
3:00pm-5:00pm Location: Home of Susan Cieutat, RN, MPH and Bob Markel, 531
Grove Street, San Francisco. Contact: Carla Woodworth 510-832-7134 or
capa@jps.net (CaPA)

Mon. Feb. 23rd:
o News Conference: “YES ON 56! Budget Hurt Real People-Enough is Enough!” A
coalition of Los Angeles community leaders is hosting a news conference to
support a comprehensive budget reform package: Proposition 56, The Budget
Accountability Act. 9:30am Location: Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 3300
Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles. Contact: Gina Bowers 213-368-7412 or
310-291-5711 and Suzanna Trevino 213-353-1782 or 213-883-3185.

Tues. Feb.24th:
o Community Forum: “Band-Aids for Budget Cuts: What do deep cuts to health
and human services means for communities of color?” 9:30am-12:30pm. State
Building, Oakland. Contact: Sarah Mercer, CPEHN, 510-832-1160,
smercer@cpehn.org (California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, Latino Issues
Forum, Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum)

Wed. Feb.25th:
o Conference: “Asian & Pacific Islanders’ California Action Network
Legislative Conference” A two-day conference for consumers, advocates, and
providers.10:00am. Location: Sacramento Contact: Trisha Murakawa, APICAN,
310-376-2236,TrishaM@aol.com (Asian & Pacific Islanders’ California Action
Network)

o Briefing: “The New Medicare Law: 2004-2005 Impact on Low Income People.”
11:30am-1:00pm. Location TBA. Contact: info@medpin.org. (Medpin)

o Rally: “L.A. Protest Against AIDS Program Cuts” Let’s send a loud message
to Governor Schwarzenegger: No Cuts to AIDS Programs! 2:00pm-3:00pm
Location: Ronald Reagan Building 200 S. Spring Street. Contact: Ruel Nolledo
213-201-1378 or rnolledo@apla.org. (Being Alive).

Thurs. Feb.26th:
o Community Forum: “Band-Aids for Budget Cuts: What do deep cuts to health
and human services means for communities of color?” 10:00am-1:00pm.
Location: UC Center, 550 E. Shaw, Fresno. Contact: Sarah Mercer, CPEHN,
510-832-1160, smercer@cpehn.org (California Pan-Ethnic Health Network,
Latino Issues Forum, Fresno Health Consumer Center, Fresno Center for New
Americans)

o Community Forum: “Band-Aids for Budget Cuts: What do deep cuts to health
and human services means for communities of color?” 11:00am-1:30pm.
Location: Tubman Chavez Community Center, 415 Euclid Ave. San Diego.
Contact: Sarah Mercer, CPEHN, 510-832-1160, smercer@cpehn.org (California
Pan-Ethnic Health Network, Latino Issues Forum, California Black Health
Network, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, Union of Pan Asian
Communities)

o Rally: “Fight to Protect Seniors and People Living with Disabilities”
Proposed budget cuts will result in 75,000 seniors and people living with
disabilities losing the vital health services they require, and either being
forced into under-funded nursing homes or left with no care at all.
11:30am-1:00pm Location: Ronald Reagan Building 300 South Spring St., Los
Angeles, Ca. Contact: Julian Andre 213-385-0749 or
julian@CaliforniansCare.org.

o Board of Supervisors Budget Committee Meeting: “Welfare of Families and
Children Needs to be Budget Priority!” Coalition For Ethical Welfare Reform
(CEWR) has encouraged Supervisor Sophie Maxwell to sponsor a Budget
Committee Hearing to address the issues that CalWORKs timed-off families
have faced and to encourage new safety nets for those who will. 1:00pm
Location: City Hall Room 279, San Francisco. Call Coalition For Ethical
Welfare Reform (CEWR) 510-239-0161 x11.

o Candlelight Vigil: “Support Measure A” 7:00pm Location: Highland Hospital,
Oakland. Contact: Carla Woodworth 510-832-7134 or capa@jps.net (CaPA)

Fri. Feb. 27th:
o Minority Health Disparities Speaker Series: “Unequal Treatment Confronting
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care” Feature Speaker: Dr. Brian
Smedley from the Institute of Medicine, former Senior Program Officer of the
Study Panel that issued the report on unequal treatment of racial/ethnic
minorities. 12:00pm-1:00pm. Location: Room 1357 of the Gonda Building on the
UCLA Campus (Parking lot 9: www.ucla.edu). Lunch will be provided. Contact:
(310) 206-5162, or www.MinorityHealthDisparities.org , or email at:
cmhd@ucla.edu RSVP by 2-24-04 (UCLA Center on Minority Health Disparities)

o Minority Health Disparities Speaker Series: Opening of The UCLA Center for
Research, Education, Training and Strategic Communication on Minority Health
Disparities CRETSCMHD. 3:00pm-5:00pm. Location: UCLA J.D. Morgan Athletic
Center Press Room, 325 Westwood Plaza. Contact: (310) 206-5162, or
www.MinorityHealthDisparities.org , or email at: cmhd@ucla.edu. RSVP by
2-24-04 (UCLA Center on Minority Health Disparities)


MARCH

Tues. March 2nd:
o Election Day. Presidential Primary. Other primaries for state and national
offices. Proposition 56: Budget Accountability Act on the ballot.

Thurs. March 4th:
o Action Day: Health Care Action Day. The “action day” is designed to fuel a
growing movement for a national insurance plan that covers everyone.
Activist will highlight the outrage workers feel about paying more for their
health benefits. Hundred of thousands of workers and community activists
across the country will wear stickers, hold rallies, and do creative actions
to demonstrate their outrage about Bush’s Medicare sellout and promote
health care for all. For more information:
www.jwj.org/community/healthcare/HCAD/grid.htm. (Jobs with Justice).

Fri. March 5th:
o Community Forum: "Budget Cuts: “What do deep cuts to health and human
services mean for the Central Coast?" Speakers include Jean Ross,
California Budget Project and Teresa Favuzzi, CA Foundation of Independent
Living Centers. Location: Northminster Presbyterian Church, Salinas. For
more information, contact: Denika Dallimore, Central Coast Center for
Independent Living, 831-757-2968 ext *819, DDallimore@cccil.org.

o Legislative Hearing: Impact of the Governor’s Proposed Budget Cuts. The
State Legislative Joint Committee to develop a master plan to end poverty in
California. 11:30am-4:00pm Location: Los Angeles Valley College 5800 Fulton
Avenue, Monarch Hall. Contact: Office of Senator Richard Alarcon
818-901-5588 or michael.cortez@sen.ca.gov (Senator Richard Alarcon)

o Town Hall Meeting: “SAVE ADAP” Town Hall Meeting and Lobby Day Training.
Time: TBA Location: Bienestar /East Los Angeles Office.

Mon. March 8th:
o “SAVE ADAP Rally” AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) clients, HIV/AIDS
advocates, other health agencies and community members will rally to urge
the Governor and Legislature to provide the funding needed to ensure access
to lifesaving drugs. 10:00am. Senate Budget Committee Hearing at 2:30pm.
South steps of the State Capitol, Sacramento. To register, please send an
email with your name, agency name (if applicable), address, phone number,
and email address if available to dvangord@sfaf.org. (San Francisco AIDS
Foundation)

Tues. March 9th:
o Conference: “Making Managed Care Work” A two day conference for consumers,
advocates, and providers. Speakers include Lesley Cummings, director of the
Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board. Hilton Burbank Airport and Convention
Center, Burbank. 9:00am-5:00pm. For information, contact: Nancy Kay Hunt at
213-487-7211 ext 20 or nhunt@wclp.org to reserve your space. (Western Center
on Law and Poverty)

o Debate: Single Payer Debate. Speaker: Don McCanne, MD. Location:
University of California, Irvine. Contact: Carla Wodworth 510-832-7134 or
capa@jps.net (CaPA)

Wed. March 10th:
o Conference: “Making Managed Care Work” A two day conference for consumers,
advocates, and providers. Hilton Burbank Airport and Convention Center,
Burbank. 9:00am-3:30pm. For information, contact: Nancy Kay Hunt at
213-487-7211 ext 20 or nhunt@wclp.org to reserve your space. (Western Center
on Law and Poverty)

o Town Hall Meeting: “Healthcare is Our Economic Human Right” 2:00pm.
Location: 635 22nd Street at MLK, Oakland. Contact: 510-415-7379.

o Coalition Meeting: “California Medicare Coalition meeting.” Learn more
about the Medicare-approved drug discount card program from Bonnie Burns,
nationally recognized expert in health care consumer issues. 10 am-12pm.
Location: Northern California: Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society
Building, 5380 Elvas Avenue, Sacramento. Southern California: Alzheimer's
Association Training Center, 5900 Wilshire Blvd (located in the People's
Bank Building on Wilshire @ Ogden), Suite 1700, Los Angeles. For more
information, 916-231-5110 (California Health Advocates).

Thurs. March 11th:
o Conference: “Using Race and Ethnicity Data to Eliminate Health
Disparities” A one-day conference to examine and discuss race and ethnicity
data and how it might be used to improve the diversity of the medical
professions, target prevention efforts, and make health care more culturally
appropriate. 10:00 am-3:00pm. Location: James Irvine Foundation Conference
Center at the East Bay Community Foundation, 353 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Plaza A
& B, Oakland. For information, contact Marty Martinez at 510-832-1160 or
info@cpehn.org. (California Pan-Ethnic Health Network)

Mon. March 15th:
o Conference Call: "Planning Your Town Hall Meeting on the Budget,"
check-in call for advocates involved in organizing April town hall meetings
on the state budget deficit and cuts to health and human services. Ask
questions, share ideas, initiate or join the organizing of a Town Hall
meeting in your area. 2:00pm-3:00pm. Call-in number: TBA. For
information, contact Jessica Rothhaar at 510-873-8787 ext 107 or
jessicar@health-access.org (Save the Safety Net Coalition)

Tues. March 16th-17th:
o Nonprofit Policy Days: Join with your colleagues in the leadership of
California's nonprofit and philanthropic sector for "Taking Charge!" CAN
Policy Days 2004. Sheraton Grand. Sacramento. For more information, contact
916-402-1335 or www.CAnonprofits.org. (California Association of Nonprofits
and its CAN Policy Council, with Southern California Association for
Philanthropy and Northern California Grantmakers.)

Wed. March 17th:
o Legislative Briefing: Immigrant Rights Legislative Briefing at the
Capitol. 9:30am-11:00pm. Room TBA. Contact: Jeannette Zanipatin, Statewide
Policy Analyst 916-448-6762 ext. 202 or zanipatin@nilc.org (California
Immigrant Welfare Collaborative)

o Legislative Visits: “Immigrant Day.” Lobbying specifically for the rights
of immigrants. Contact: Jeannette Zanipatin, Statewide Policy Analyst
916-448-6762 ext. 202 or zanipatin@nilc.org (California Immigrant Welfare
Collaborative)

o Rural Communities Advocacy Day. State Capitol, Sacramento. (California
State Rural Health Association)

Thurs. March 18th:
o Conference: “Protecting Priorities in Uncertain Times.” A one-day
conference by the CA Budget Project featuring workshops and plenaries
examining the state budget crisis and policy issues within the context of
the new political environment. Speakers include Health and Human Services
Secretary Kim Belshe. 8:00am-5:00pm. Sacramento Convention Center. For more
information, contact conference@cbp.org or check out the website
www.cbp.org. (California Budget Project)

o Forum: “Zay Gezunt: The Jewish Coalition for Healthcare For All” To answer
questions about how universal healthcare coverage would work under the
Health Care For All Californians Act. The forum is open to all, no charge.
7:00pm. Location: Leo Baeck Temple, 1300 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles.
Contact 310-552-2007 or zaygezunt@circlesocal.org.

Tues. March 23rd:
o Advocacy Day. Sacramento. (California Interfaith Coalition)

Wednesday, March 31st:
o Town Hall Meeting: Bay Point residents to voice their concerns about
health and healthcare to the county's top health department officials.
6:00pm – 8:30pm. Location: Ambrose Recreation and Park District
Multi-Purpose Room, 3105 Willow Pass Road, Bay Point. Spanish translation,
free childcare and light dinner available. Contact: Carlos Torres, (925)
518-4259, ctorres@psr.gtulink.edu (Bay Point Partnership for the Public
Health & Contra Costa Health Services)


APRIL

Thur. April 1st - Sun. April 11th:
o Legislative Easter Break: State legislators are in their districts!

o Town Hall Meetings on State Budget Cuts. Meetings are being organized for
this period in Fresno, Stockton, Hayward, Contra Costa County and Santa
Cruz. To find out a Town Hall meeting in your area, or for information on
partners & resources to help you in organizing one, contact Jessica Rothhaar
at 510-873-8787 ext 107 or jessicar@health-access.org (Save the Safety Net
Coalition)

Fri. April 2nd:
o Educational Forum: “Having Our Say” Educational forum on the platform for
Decision 2004. Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum.
9:30am-4:30pm. An Educational Forum on health policies of the Presidential
platforms for Election 2004. Members of community-based organizations and
networks of the Health Forum will discuss issues and concerns of AAPI
communities and will present these to representatives from the Republican
and Democratic parties. Also, from 6:30pm-9:30pm, there will bea Fundraising
Dinner honoring former APIAHF President and CEO Tessie Guillermo, featuring
testimonials, an audio-visual presentation, raffle prizes, and live music.
Location: Hotel Nikko, San Francisco, California. Contact: Michael Magnaye
Development Director APIAHF, (415) 954-9988 or healthinfo@apiahf.org

Sat. April 3rd :
o Topic: Recent Institute of Medicine Study: Insuring Americans Health.
Speaker: Sandra Hernandez, MD, CEO, San Francisco Foundation. 3:00pm-5:00pm.
Location: TBA. Contact: capa@jps.net (Health Care for All-San Francisco &
CaPA)

Thurs. April 15th:
o Rally: Families and children rally against state and local budget cuts.
Location: San Francisco City Hall. Contact: Margaret Brodkin, 415-239-0161
or mbrodkin@colemanadvocates.org (Coleman Advocates)

Fri. April 16th:
o Gala: Public Health Institute 40th Anniversary Gala, Oakland

Fri. April 23rd:
o Legislative Breakfast. Santa Clara. (Community Health Partnership)


MAY

Sat. May 1st:
o Panel: Don McCanne, MD will represent CapA on three person panel.
Location: California State University-Long Beach Contact: Betty Ann Rauch,
AAUW Co-Program Vice President barauch@worldnet.att.net (AAUW)

Wed, May 5th:
o Cover the Uninsured Week to be launched at a national event starring Noah
Wylie. (Cover the Uninsured Week)

Fri. May 7th:
o Conference: “Expanding Employment-Based Health Insurance in California:
Senate Bill 2--Issues and Options.” (UCLA Center for Health Care Policy)

o Minority Health Disparities Speaker Series Workshop: “The Public Health
Disparities Geocoding Project: Monitoring US Social Inequalities in Health”
Featured Speaker: Nancy Krieger, Associate Professor of Public Health at
Harvard. Possibility that Continuing Education credits (1 hour CE) will be
offer to physicians, nurses, psychologists, and MFCC/MFT/LCSWs. Lunch will
be provided to everyone attending. Contact: (310) 206-5162, or
www.MinorityHealthDisparities.org , or email at: cmhd@ucla.edu RSVP by
2-24-04 (UCLA Center on Minority Health Disparities)

Mon. May 10th-Sun. May 16th :
o Cover the Uninsured Week, during which the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
will air national television ads and sponsor 1,000 events around the country
“to make the issue of the uninsured a focus of national discussion.”
Planning has started for events in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los
Angeles. Check in at www.covertheuninsuredweek.org. (Cover the Uninsured
Week)

Tue. May 11th-Wed. May 12th:
o Summit on Children’s Health. Sacramento. (Community Health Councils)

Wed. May 12th:
o Senior Rally. Sacramento. (Several major senior organizations, including
AARP, Older Women’s League, Gray Panthers, Congress of California Seniors,
and others.)

o Coalition Mobilization: “Hunger Action Coalition Mobilization” Location:
Sacramento. For more information, contact jbartholow@accfb.org,
510-834-3663 ext 307.

Wed. May 17th:
o Legislation Visits: “Immigrant Lobby Day” 8:30am-2:00pm. Location
Sacramento. Contact: Jeannette Zanipatin, 916-448-6762 ext. 202 or
zanipatin@nilc.org (California Immigrant Welfare Collaborative)

o Education and Advocacy: “AIDS Watch” Join the largest annual
constituent-based federal HIV/AIDS advocacy and education event in the U.S.
Participants include people living with HIV and AIDS and their Families,
care providers, other advocates. For more info, contact Ruel Nolledo
213-201-1378 or rnolledo@apla.org.

Mid-May
o Governor Schwarzenegger Announces May Revision of Budget.

Wed. May 26th:
o 10th Annual Rural Minority Health Conference. Sheraton Harbour Island
Hotel. San Diego. For more information, contact Rosemary McKenzie at (816)
756-3140 or rmckenzie@NRHArural.org (The National Rural Health Association)


JUNE

Fri. June 18th-Sun. June 20th:
o Founding Convention On Ending Poverty in California. California’s first
annual statewide poverty convention, convened by Senator Richard Alarcón,
Co-Chair of the Joint Committee for the State Senate and Assembly to Develop
a Master Plan to End Poverty, and organizational partners. University of
Southern California in Los Angeles (USC). $25 registration fee (full
scholarships available to all qualified applicants). For reservations, log
on to www.californiadreamfoundation.org or call (818) 725-7900. Reservation
deadline is May 31, 2004. (California Dream Foundation)

Sat. June 19th:
o March Across Golden Gate Bridge for Health Care, possibly featuring the
Democratic Presidential Candidate. Signs are not allowed on the bridge as
they could fly into traffic or into the bay. For more information, contact:
Jessica Rothhaar 510-873-8787 ext 107 or JessicaR@health-access.org


NOVEMBER

Tue. Nov. 2nd:
o Election Day: Presidential Race. U.S. Senate Race. California legislative
races. SB 2 Referendum.


For more information or to add updates, contact Health Access:
In Sacramento: Anthony Wright, Executive Director, at 916-442-2308, or
awright@health-access.org, or 1127 11th Street, Suite 234, Sacramento, CA
95814.
In Northern California: Jessica Rothhaar, Regional Organizer, at
510-873-8787, ext. 107, or jessicar@health-access.org, or 414 13th Street,
Suite 450, Oakland, CA 94612.
In Southern California: Idabelle Fosse, Regional Organizer, at 213-748-5287
ext. 229, or idabelle@health-access.org, or 3655 South Grand Ave., Suite
220, Los Angeles, CA 90007.


--
Anthony E. Wright
Executive Director
Health Access
1127 11th St., #234, Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: 916-442-2308, Fx: 916-497-0921
awright@health-access.org

Labels: Updates

posted by Anthony Wright | Permalink | 6:47 PM


 

Digging a bigger whole for reform...

 

Scoring at home...

 

We are hiring, to make a difference...

 

Field Poll: strong opposition to the health cuts.....

 

An Unhealthy Trend

 

Dressing up the Individual (Market)

 

A great debate on the great divide...

 

Jones to be chair of Health Committee...

 

Bass on the budget...

 

Pretty soon, the insureable will be a pretty exclu...